In November 1993 fire tore through The Waterfront and smoke billowed above the River Wensum.

Black smoke poured through the windows and flames lit up the night sky but the blaze at the King Street venue turned out not to be an actual emergency.

The Waterfront was being used for scenes for the next series of Anglia Television's police drama series The Chief.

For the purposes of the programme the venue had become a community centre and a special effects team mixed real fire, flickering lights and smoke machines to make the building look ablaze without causing much damage.

Real life firefighters had been on standby in case things got out of hand.

But aside from some guttering being damaged by the TV inferno, things had gone to plan.

The scenes were shot just weeks before the building was handed over to the UEA Students' Union.