Firecrews were called to the QD store in Gorleston today after part of the store front fascia came down in high winds.

Two fire crews and the aerial ladder platform from Great Yarmouth attended the store in the High Street shortly after 12.30pm and made the building safe.

Victor Ling, general manager of Barkers Photographic, which is next door to the store, said: 'We heard this massive banging outside and I thought what is that? Then I saw these two pieces lying in the middle of the road. It was really lucky that there were no cars or people about.'

Paul Lemmon, store development and property manager for the QD Stores group, said a section of the fascia board had come down in high winds.

He said: 'The store manager phoned the fire service, which was the right thing to do, and they removed it for us. We would like to thank the fire service for making it safe.'

Mr Lemmon said the fascia would be replaced but first there would be an investigation into why it had come loose.

'We need to find out why it failed from a health and safety point of view,' he said.