A fire which caused serious damage to a factory unit is believed to have been started deliberately.

Fire crews were called to Holmestone Road, Dover, at about 3am Wednesday following a report that a car outside the front of the building, used by Ashford Motorsport as a garage, was alight.

But when the firefighters had put out that fire they discovered that the nearby unit was also on fire. A senior fire officer has confirmed that it appeared to have been started in two separate areas, inside and outside the building.

At the height of the blaze, eight fire appliances were at the scene. Investigators are now trying to determine the cause.

The area was cordoned off as they tackled the blaze. They managed to stop it spreading to adjacent factory units, including RV Woodcraft next door, and to the nearby Dover Gym Club, but the building itself was severely damaged

The unit is used for the maintenance and repair of vehicles, as well as rebuilding and reconditioning engines.

Station Commander Simon Smith, who is based at Dover, said there appeared to be two separate seats of fire, and this was now subject to an investigation by police and fire officers. He praised the fire crews for the way they had stopped it spreading to other nearby units.