Ambulances were called to a church in Cheriton today to reports that a man had collapsed.

Witnesses reported seeing around five ambulances - including a specialist unit - at the Baptist Church in Quested Road, leading to concerns that there could have been a major incident.

Neighbour Rob Cowell said he heard an ambulance noise and saw one parked at the bottom corner of his road, Quested Road, at around 11.30am today.

He said the ambulances included paramedics cars and an incident unit.

Mr Cowell, 42, an IT consultant, said he went to the Cheriton Baptist Church, and saw what he described as an "elderly man clutching a tea towel to his head".

He said: "There were lots of concerned people on the church steps."

Mr Cowell said his wife saw one person being carried out on a wheeled stretcher.

Another witness, Naomi Beston, reported seeing five ambulances in the area.

Liz Spiers, a spokesman for the South East Coast Ambulance Service, said: "We were called at 10.35am to reports that a man, believed to be in his 50s, was feeling breathless and had collapsed.

"We sent a responder and a couple of ambulances and the man was taken to the William Harvey Hospital."

Police said they had not been called to any incident.