Hotel guests evacuated in blaze

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Guests' lucky escape from fire

About 50 firefighters are tackling a massive blaze which engulfed a hotel in County Durham.

Around 100 guests and staff have been moved to safety from the King's Head Hotel in Priestgate, Darlington.

The flames quickly spread through the four-storey building, which is so badly damaged that it is in danger of collapsing, police said.

The town's Cornmill shopping centre and Priestgate are closed but Bondgate and Northgate have reopened.

'Good response'

Hotel guests have been taken to other hotels and the Dolphin leisure centre.

Ch Insp Paul Unsworth, of Durham Police, said: "I'd like to congratulate the hotel staff - they did a marvellous job during the night.

"There were no casualties and they managed to account for everyone in the hotel, taking into account there are 65 Chinese residents there.

"The local authority has also been very good - they opened up the Dolphin Centre and very quickly gave temporary accommodation and refreshments to hotel guests.

"The fire service is still very busy, it was a good co-ordinated response."