POLICE are investigating the cause of a fire which gutted a disused shop in Newport city centre, the fire service said.

The blaze, which started in the roof space of the four-storey building on Commercial Street last night, quickly spread to the other floors, but did not affect adjoining properties.

Eight crews from Maindee, Malpas, Duffryn, Cwmbran, Caerphilly, Cardiff Central were called at 10.37pm.

They battled to get the blaze under control for three hours using a hydraulic platform, until it was extinguished around 1.30am today.

The building, next to the entrance to Park Square car park, is advertised to let and is understood to be the former Taylor's shoe repairs, key cutting and engraving shop, which now trades from premises on Emlyn Walk across the road.

Today the badly-damaged shop and its neighbouring premises were cordoned off to the public to protect pedestrians from shattered glass strewn across the pavement.

Many of the property's windows were blown out by the blaze and its blackened walls were visible from outside.

The remnants of burnt furniture and window blinds could be seen on the first floor, while the ground floor windows were boarded up.

The cause of the fire is as yet unknown but a fire service spokeswoman said Gwent Police were investigating the incident.