ABOUT 120 guests were evacuated from a city hotel yesterday when fire broke out in a second floor corridor.

Smoke belched from several windows of the Royal County Hotel in Old Elvet, Durham City, as flames spread.

Guests, many wrapped in blankets, were evacuated to a sister hotel, The Three Tuns, in New Elvet. No one was injured.

The blaze, which was confined to a corridor serving staff rooms, was put out before it spread to guest bedrooms.

Derek Harvey, the hotel's general manager, said: "The guests were very understanding and thankfully no one was hurt."

Assistant divisional fire officer Michael Dunn said Old Elvet was closed for two hours while they tackled the blaze.

He said: "The second floor landing was ablaze, but we managed to contain it before it spread to any of the other rooms.

"The corridor was badly damaged and some of the staff rooms, where we had to open the windows to let the smoke out, are blackened with smoke.

"We don't know what caused the fire but it will be investigated by us and the police.