Firefighters tackle blaze at a row of shops

Crews were called to the rear of a newsagent premises in the town's Edenhill Road this morning at around 10.08am.

A spokeswoman for the fire brigade said crews from Peterlee Fire Station were called to extinguish the fire.

She said: "It was a fire in an outbuilding at the rear of the property."

The spokeswoman said the blaze was quickly put out and denied rumours that gas canisters had exploded.

It is not believed to be suspicious.