Week-long Blackpool blaze doused

Safety cordons around the site are gradually being lifted

A fire which devastated part of Blackpool town centre last weekend has finally been put out.

The blaze, which started in an alley between Clifton Street and Talbot Square, engulfed Yates's Wine Lodge, a pet shop and several other businesses.

A 21-year-old man has since been charged with aggravated arson.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said it has now withdrawn from the site and demolition contractors will now spend the next two days clearing debris.

Blackpool Council said a structural scaffold was now being designed to support the Talbot Road side of the building.

Safety cordons were put up around the site after the fire broke out last Sunday, but several shops reopened last week as some of the restrictions were lifted.

Pedestrian access has been reinstated to parts of Talbot Square and Clifton Street and the NHS walk-in centre is open, but Talbot Road remains closed.

At the fire's height, about 100 firefighters were at the scene.

The blaze was brought under control hours later, but on Friday a small fire was discovered in the basement of the building and several pockets of fire were found in the roof space.

Parts of the pub, which has only recently been refurbished, also had to be demolished because it was unsafe.