A huge charity shop – which was forced to shut for three days after a blaze broke out – has now reopened.

Crews were called to Barnardo’s, in New Street, Ashford, during the early hours of Monday morning after the fire started outside its front doors.

Part of the shop’s entrance was boarded up as a result of the damage, with a sign at the entrance letting cutomers know it had shut.

The cause of the fire is still unknown.

A spokesperson for Barnardo’s said: “Fortunately, there have been no injuries to the public or colleagues.

“The cause of the fire is unknown. Thanks to the rapid reaction of police and the fire brigade the fire was put out and damage caused was primarily outside of the building.”

Kent Fire and Resceue Service attended the scene just after midnight and say “the fire started in the porch of the premises and spread to the first floor”.

A spokesman added: “Two fire engines attended and crews wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the flames using hose reel jets.”

The shop has reopened today.