Fire breaks out at Nottinghamshire County Council headquarters

Firefighters have been tackling a blaze at the headquarters of Nottinghamshire County Council.

The fire broke out on the first floor of County Hall in West Bridgford, the fire service said.

Twelve fire engines have been sent to the scene and people have been advised to avoid the area.

Council leader Ben Bradley MP confirmed everyone in the building at the time of the fire was safe.

The fire service said it expected to be at the scene for a "considerable length of time" as the first floor of the building was "very smoke logged".

Twelve fire engines were sent to the scene

The headquarters, built on the banks of the River Trent in the 1930s and opened in 1946, house the council's chamber for meetings alongside services and support offices.

It is the oldest and biggest building the council owns.

Anthony May, the county council's chief executive, said the authority was "working hard" to ensure it could operate its services "as normal".

He added: "The fire alarm sounded at 11:35 and we followed our fire evacuation procedures. Fire wardens cleared the building and the fire service is now managing the incident.

"The safety of our staff is our priority and the arrangements are in place to ensure that they can get home safely.

"We would like to thank the fire and rescue service for its swift response and our staff for their quick evacuation."