An inquiry into the Spar shop blaze at Clifton, York, has pointed to an electrical fault as the probable cause.

Fire investigator John Longfield, of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "There was a store room behind the shop containing freezers and other electrical equipment and that is the probable cause."

More than 70 firefighters from across the county fought the blaze which ripped through the shop, in Clifton Green, and forced nearby residents to flee from their beds.

Neighbouring traders are rallying round to help residents who have lost an essential service.

Clifton Post Office has extended its opening hours to 9pm every night and Lawries is opening for an extra hour a day.

Robin Tomlinson, proprietor of Clifton Post Office, said: "We're just trying to offer some of the services the Spar did.

"We've always opened until 7.30pm, but now we're staying open later to help out."

Jim Cairns, proprietor of Lawries, said: "We'll be open until 6.30pm and we've also increased our range slightly.

"Bread sales have gone up and our milk sales have quadrupled.

"We've had a good response and I think people are happy that we're opening that bit later."

Meanwhile, Clifton View guest house was welcoming its first guests since the blaze which happened in the early hours of Wednesday, March 29.

Owner Carol Oxtoby, who was forced to flee with her bookmaker husband, Baz, daughter Sara, 19, and their two dogs, said she was relieved things were getting back to normal.

She said: "We've had to get new carpets in the dining room and bedroom and three bedrooms were affected by smoke.

"All in all, including the cost of cleaning, the damage will cost around £5,000 to put right."

A surveyor is also being called in to inspect the connecting wall between the guest house and the shop as the fire has damaged the mortar.

"The whole experience was very traumatic," said Carol.

"When you see smoke and flames threatening your building you don't know what's going to happen next."

Geoff Hallam, retail operations director for Tates Spar, said the company was talking to the landlord about building a new and better store on the same site, but it was too early to say when this might happen.