More than 30 firefighters are battling a major blaze in Southampton this morning.

Crews were called to Shirley High Street in the early hours after the blaze broke out at the building used by the Paddy Power betting shop.

Eight fire pumps and two aerial ladders have been called to the scene.

Shirley High Street was closed while fire fighters tackled the blaze but has since reopened.

Traders with shops in Shirley High Street were standing in the rain as they waited for the cordons to be lifted.

One woman said: "l was driving into work when I saw smoke and then noticed all the fire engines.

"The flames were quite high and four or five firefighters with hoses were blasting it. It was quite scary."

One trader said: "One of the firefighters said they didn't think anyone was inside the building, but he couldn't be 100 per cent certain.

"At one point an ambulance came bombing down the road.

"I'm told the fire brigade are planning to scale things down in about an hour or so."

Smoke was seen pouring from the roof the building earlier this morning.

The manager of the Golden Touch amusement arcade said: "I think the roof collapsed. The fire brigade did a brilliant job in stopping the fire spreading to my place. They are literally door to door."

The blaze is believe to have started in the flats above the betting shop but it is not known whether anyone was evacuted or not.