TWO men arrested in connection with a robbery and fire in a convenience store will not be charged, police have confirmed.

Emergency services were called to the incident at the Tudhoe Mini Market in Attwood Terrace, Tudhoe, near Spennymoor, at 7.10pm on Sunday November 18.

Police received reports that two men had been injured during a robbery.

Two men were reported to have entered the shop armed with weapons and carried out an attack on two men who were working in the shop, inflicting head injuries on both victims.

There was a significant fire on the ground floor which had spread to the first floor with smoke damage.

A 38-year-old man, a 36-year-old woman and a 17-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson and fraud shortly after the incident.

Police released the woman with no further action taken against her, while the two men were “released under investigation”.

A file was subsequently sent to the Crown Prosecution Service.

A Durham Police spokesperson said: “Two men, aged 39 and 17, who were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud and arson have been released with no further action as, due to the evidence available, there was no realistic prospect of conviction.”