Fire ripped through the Market Arcade in Cleckheaton town centre, destroying several businesses.

Eleven fire engines raced to the scene of the blaze which began at 4.15pm yesterday.

Firefighters battled through the night and were still trying to detect small pockets of fire at the building this morning after the blaze started in the roof.

Nobody was injured.

The cause of the fire was being investigated today but it is known to have begun near where workmen were carrying out repairs to the roof.

Sub-officer Tim Hamer, of Cleckheaton fire station, said: "The fire was still going on this morning. With the nature of the building it was difficult to detect where the pockets of fire were."

Many units inside the 1960s building were vacant, but seven or eight traders have seen their premises gutted.

Greengrocer Michael Asquith, of J W Asquith, which has traded from the market building for 30 years, said: "The traders here have really got going and there's a good market caf. We have been through the bad times but it was just coming good."

He was behind his inside market stall when the fire broke out.

"At first we thought it was something and nothing - just a small fire in the roof - but it took hold very rapidly."

He estimated his loss between £6,000 and £7,000 as his greengrocer's unit and pet food business had gone up in smoke. He said he would be able to survive on the catering part of the business until he could resume trading to the public.

Water was still cascading down the steps of the main entrance, carrying charred bits of debris into the street, as outdoor traders arrived today to nervously open their lock-up stores and assess damage to stock.

Margaret Fennell, of East Bowling, who runs a stall called Sweets Galore on Saturdays, said: "We are hoping to carry on trading but we could find we have some real authentic cinder toffee!"

Kirklees Council has offered stallholders the opportunity to go to Batley or Heckmondwike.

Pictured: the damage done to the market.