Blandford Street fire: Shocking pictures show damage caused by huge blaze in Sunderland city centre
Wearside watched as a huge fire took hold of shops in the city centre overnight.
Fire crews have been working since 6pm on Wednesday to bring the blaze under control, with much of Blandford Street expected to stay closed throughout today as investigations continue. Here we look at how the incident unfolded and the full extent of the damage.