(Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)
A dramatic fire tore through a former County Durham pub, destroying much of the building's roof and prompting a major emergency services response.
The blaze broke out at the former Crown and Thistle pub in Catchgate, near Stanley, with firefighters battling flames as thick smoke billowed across the village.
Pictures from the scene show extensive damage to the derelict building, with large sections of the roof completely destroyed and firefighters using aerial ladder platforms to tackle remaining hotspots.
(Image: Joshua Nichol)
What happened?
The fire is believed to have started around 4pm on Thursday afternoon (October 8) at the Crown and Thistle pub, on North Road, Catchgate.
The pub has been closed since late 2023 and residents reported seeing smoke shortly before emergency services arrived.
One resident, who saw the smoke while leaving Tesco on the opposite side of the village, said: "There were pillars of smoke.
"I was coming out of Tesco just after 5pm and I saw the smoke across the sky.
"There's less roof on it now than there was then."
Images show the damage caused to the derelict pub. (Image: SUPPLIED)
How was the fire discovered?
Local resident Mr McDermott, who has lived in Catchgate for around 15 years, said his wife first spotted smoke coming from the building around 4pm.
He told The Northern Echo: "My wife spotted it first and it was smoking, then all of a sudden it got a lot worse.
"I got on the phone straight away and called the fire brigade and they were there in about 15 minutes."
What do the pictures show?
Photographs from the scene reveal the scale of the damage caused by the blaze.
Several images show the roof structure almost entirely burnt away, leaving only blackened timber frames standing above the building.
Firefighters could be seen directing high-pressure jets of water onto the roof from an aerial platform while police tape cordoned off parts of North Road.
Other pictures show smoke continuing to rise from the building as emergency crews worked to prevent the fire spreading to neighbouring properties.
A large brick chimney remained standing despite widespread damage to the roof surrounding it.
Images show the damage caused to the derelict pub. (Image: SUPPLIED)
How did residents react?
Images show the damage caused to the derelict pub. (Image: SUPPLIED)
People living close to the former pub described being shocked and concerned as the fire took hold.
One couple living opposite the building said the blaze spread rapidly.
"It seemed to go up pretty quick," they said.
"I'm not very happy about it, Catchgate is a big enough mess for me as it is. Now it's just going to go downhill."
The pair, who have lived in the village for around 50 years, said they feared further structural damage.
They added: "I hope the chimney pot doesn't fall through.
"It's frightening."
What have local politicians said?
Councillor Darren Grimes, deputy leader of Durham County Council, described the scenes as "horrific".
In a social media post, he said: "My thoughts are with everyone affected and with the emergency services tackling the blaze.
"Thank you to the firefighters and all those on the scene working in such difficult conditions. I hope everyone is safe and that the fire can be brought under control as quickly as possible.
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"If you're nearby, please avoid the area and allow the emergency services to do their job."
What happens next?
The Northern Echo has contacted emergency services for further information about the cause of the fire and whether anybody was injured.