AN ELECTRICAL fire forced the closure of the Winton branch of Bath Travel on Saturday.

A member of staff called 999 after smoke began issuing from a cupboard in the Wimborne Road shop at around 11.20am.

Fire crews from Redhill and Springbourne used breathing gear to extinguish the blaze as the premises filled with smoke. The fire was extinguished by 11.45am and a faulty fuse box was found to be the cause.

Though the box and cupboard were badly damaged, the shop escaped with just moderate smoke damage but it remained closed for the rest of the day.

Sammy Backon, who works at the Mind charity shop next door to Bath Travel, said: “The fire brigade cordoned off our shop and Bath Travel, stopping customers getting in.

“After the fire you could see burned paper all over the pavements that had been recovered from the fire. Everyone was shocked by the events.”

A Dorset Fire and Rescue spokesperson described the fire as “messy rather than disastrous”.