BUSINESS should be back to normal today at a busy city centre indoor shopping complex forced to close to the public after a fire scare.

Hundreds of shoppers were evacuated from Durham's Millburngate Centre after a blaze broke out in a shoe and watch repair business.

It is understood a fan or lathe overheated at the Timpson's premises, at the Framwelgate Bridge end of the centre.

The store sprinklers immediately activated and the fire, confined to Timspon's, was quickly extinguished.

But police said centre management were left with little choice but to close the entire complex to the public due to the potential danger of the accumulation of water caused by the sprinklers.

Large quantities of water built up leaving pools in neighbouring store units and on the floor of the mall, near to Timpson's.

Two crews from Durham Fire Station used salvage procedures, backed by centre and store staff in the mopping up operation.

Gallons of water were removed, but by time the all-clear it was given it was past closing time for business for all but the large Safeways supermarket, which remains open until 8pm.

Businesses affected lost up to four hours trade on what would usually be a busy Friday afternoon.

Centre administration manager, Inge Johnson, said: "It was a small, but quite severe fire. The centre was quite busy at the time, but it was evacuated quite successfully."

Traders completed the mop up before virtually all stores reopened in the 50-unit complex at the weekend, but Timpson's remained closed as repairs were carried out to machinery.

Millburngate customer services manager John Hilland said yesterday that all premises should be back up and running as normal today.

He said, if nothing else, it proved the effectiveness of the centre's evacuation procedures and the sprinkler system.

"The sprinklers did their job and ensured the fire was confined to the single premises. It was unfortunate over the amount of water that built up, but that's what the sprinklers are for. I'm sure I would rather get wet than burned."

Four national chains are moving into vacant units at the 20-year-old centre during the course of this month