Fire crews rushed to the scene to tackle a blaze above the Paper Duck Chinese restaurant in Ashford town centre.

The fire is believed to have started in a flat above the restaurant around 12.30pm.

Dianne Dixon was in the Chinese having a meal with her family when the fire alarms started.

She said: "We were all sitting down having a meal and we'd just finished our first course.

"All of a sudden all these alarms started going off and we weren't really sure what was happening but then the staff told us to evacuate.

"We got outside and it just smelt of burning - we think its from one of the flat upstairs. The fire crews got here so quickly though, within a few minutes of us being outside they were here"

Ms Dixon and her family had gone to the Chinese to celebrate her upcoming birthday.

She continued: "I come here quite often because I really like it, so I organised today with all my family as it is my day off.

"We just managed to finish our first plate before we left but I just hope everybody got out okay and they put the fire out quickly - that's a lot more important than a plate of dinner

"It's definitely a birthday meal to remember though!"

The blaze has now been put out and fire crews are expected to leave the scene soon.

A Kent Fire and Rescue spokesman said: "We are dealing with a fire in a building of three floors in North Street, Ashford - the fire is in a third floor flat above a restaurant.

"Crews wearing breathing apparatus have used a hose reel jet to put the fire out and everyone is accounted for.

"A positive pressure ventilation fan has been used to clear smoke from the property."