Firefighters battle the blaze

A popular pub's kitchen was destroyed after it was engulfed in flames today.

It is thought the blaze started in cooking equipment in the ground floor kitchen at the Halfway House pub at about 3pm.

Fire crews from Sheppey and Sittingbourne were on the scene within minutes and managed to stop flames spreading to the rest of the building.

The main pub area has been slightly damaged by smoke.

Queenborough Road was closed to traffic while the three crews fought the blaze wearing breathing apparatus.

Witnesses described seeing smoke pouring from the roof and front of the building and firefighters worked to remove the tiles from the roof to tackle it.

There had been people in the pub, which is also home to the Attic's Spice restaurant, but they managed to evacuate before it really took hold.

The fire was under control by about 4pm and firefighters were able to reopen the road shortly afterwards.

Halfway resident Linda Brinklow said she was alerted to the fire when she smelt the smoke and went to investigate.

"I got closer, the smoke was getting thicker and thicker and people were coming out onto the streets to watch," she said.

Watch manager Andy Bridger-Smart said after tackling the blaze initially they turned their attention to stopping it spreading to the rest of the pub.

He said: "After the extremely hard work of the crews, damaged has been limited to the kitchen and extension roof.

"The cause is under investigation but it is believed to have started in cooking equipment.

"It's not being treated as suspicious."