ARSON is the suspected cause of a fire which broke out at the rear of a bike shop in Meadow Road, Tunbridge Wells, early today.

Two crews from the town's fire station, some wearing breathing apparatus, tackled the blaze, which appeared to have started among rubbish piled near a door.

Firefighters were called to the scene at about 1.30am. Leading firefighter Lee Abel, of Green Watch, said later: "The building was searched and made safe.

"No one was found but there was no smoke alarm, and the importance of installing such devices to give early warning of fire cannot be stressed too much.

"The cause of the fire is being treated as malicious." Police are investigating.