THREE people have been rescued by firefighters after a blaze broke out in a Darlington takeaway.

The people were evacuated from a first floor premises above the Lebanet Star, in Parkgate, opposite the Darlington Hippodrome.

Three fire engines responded to reports of the blaze at around 8am on Saturday morning and County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) crews used two hose reels to extinguish the blaze.

The kitchen area of the takeaway has been gutted by flames and a small cordon has been set up on the footpath outside the takeaway, blocking pedestrians from walking in front of the building.

A CDDFRS spokesman said that congestion may have been caused while crews tackled the blaze, however the site was cleared shortly after 9am.