TWO people were taken to hospital following a bungalow blaze in a village street today.

Firefighters were called to the property, in Bearpark, near Durham, shortly after 6.20am, amid fears someone may be trapped inside.

The bungalow, in Beaurepaire, was well alight on arrival of the first crew from nearby Durham station.

Four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and two hose reels were deployed, with the blaze brought under control and extinguished in about an hour.

Earlier fears someone may have remained inside the bungalow were ruled out, but a brigade spokesman confirmed that a man and a woman were taken to hospital, while the property was said to be severely damaged.

A fire investigation team was examining the scene to pinpoint the cause of the blaze.