A RESTAURANT and a nightclub had to be evacuated after fire broke out at a flat in Stockton on Saturday night.

No-one was hurt in the incident on the Riverside but customers were ushered out of the Vadah Indian restaurant and around 300 partygoers were evacuated from the Edge bar.

The alert was raised at about 9pm and fire appliances were quickly on the scene.

Station manager Craig Strike said: “The fire was in sleeping accommodation above the restaurant and four firefighters were breathing apparatus managed to deal with it fairly quickly.”

A bedroom was destroyed by fire and a second bedroom was damaged by smoke and heat.

Six pumps and an aerial platform were sent to the scene because of the potential for a major incident.

SO Strike added: “I’d like to thank the crews for their swift actions and the police for quickly closing off the road.”