Two bodies have been found inside a disused building after a large fire broke out in Manchester’s Chinatown.

The blaze began at about 02:15 GMT at a building on Nicholas Street and lit up the Chinatown arch at its peak.

Some roads remain shut.

The blaze is now under control but the building has “severe damage”, fire crews said. They added it was unlikely to cause further damage to other buildings.

Ch Insp Gareth Parkin, from Greater Manchester Police, said: “These are tragic circumstances and we working to identify the people who were found in the building.

“Due to falling debris, firefighters were forced to keep back from the multi-storey commercial building.”

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Damaged staircases inside the building had to be shored up before a search and rescue dog was sent in at about 10:10.

A drone camera has surveyed damage from above.

A spokesperson said they were looking for hot spots, any fire which had not been fully put out.