Fire crews are treating a fire which broke out at a former country store in Ashford as suspicious.

A major blaze took hold of a derelict commercial building in the Kent Wool Growers site on Tannery Lane at around 3pm on Monday - sparking a heavy emergency service response.

Fire crews have not yet been able to establish the cause of the fire, but it is believed to be a deliberate act.

The inferno consumed most of the building, including the roof, which collapsed as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.

At the height of the fire, six fire engines, a height vehicle and dog unit were in attendance.

Those living and working nearby were advised to close their windows.

Teams used hose reel jets and a height vehicle to drench all sides of the structure, eventually succeeding in putting out the fire by 7.12pm.

No casualties were reported at the time.

A spokeswoman for the fire service said: "The exact cause of this fire is under investigation, but is believed to be suspicious."

Earlier this year, controversial plans to build more than 200 flats including a 14-storey block on the former business site were approved.

As part of the plans, the listed building on the site will be transformed into a bar and restaurant.

London developers U+I are to convert the former premises of the farming retailer in Tannery Lane, which closed after 100 years of trading in 2017.

A spokesman for developer U+I said: "The fire was put out successfully by the fire brigade, we are assessing the damage to the buildings but they and the site have been secured. It won’t have any impact on our plans to develop the site."

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