Firefighters called out to fire alert at York Crown Court

Judges, barristers, court staff, probation officers, jurors, witnesses and defendants all had to leave immediately when a chair caught fire.

Both courts were in session when the fire alarm sounded at about midday.

The Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, and Judge Simon Hickey rose at once, the courtrooms and court offices emptied. Everyone in the building left and gathered in groups on the grass area of the Eye of York outside.

Court staff alerted the fire brigade, who sent two York crews to the scene. The fire was located in an antique-style chair in one of the rooms on the river side of the building.

Firefighters ensured that the fire had been extinguished and later said the cause was a fault in a lithium battery that had been in a handbag.

After about half an hour, everyone was allowed back into the building and court resumed in both courtrooms. The smell of smoke was obvious in the main entry hall, corridors and at least one courtroom. No-one is believed to have been injured.