PART of a glass dome at a North-East shopping centre shattered yesterday, only narrowly missing shoppers as splinters fell about 100ft to the ground.

The lower level and stairs of the Cornmill Centre, in Darlington, were cleared at about 4pm, after a glass panel crashed to the floor.

It is believed the panel broke when a bird flew into one of the glass panels.

Stalls directly below the glass dome were showered with splinters, but stallholders and shoppers escaped unharmed. No one was injured.

Last night, abseilers were due to scale up on to the roof to board up the hole.

Susan Young, manager of the Cornmill Centre, said it was lucky no one was hurt.

"Glass has showered down all over, and it is fortunate no-one was hurt," she said. "We think it was caused by a bird which crashed into it. It's only happened once before, about four or five years ago.

"We immediately cordoned off the area underneath, and the stairs, for safety reasons. Thankfully, the only damage was to the roof and not to anyone else."

One onlooker said: "It was quiet, then all of a sudden there was a loud noise.

"I thought it was like water flowing - and then I turned round and saw glass all over the floor. It's very lucky I wasn't standing closer."