FIRE tore through the first floor of a pub in Broadstairs early today. The blaze broke out in Cramptons the High Street at about 6.30am.

It took 30 firefighters about 90 minutes to bring the blaze under control.

Nobody was injured but the roof and first floor were severely damaged, and around half of the downstairs bar area was damaged by heat and smoke.

Traffic was diverted away from the High Street for several hours, while emergency crews made the area safe.

One man had to be cut free from his car when it crashed in the diverted traffic in Osborne Road. He was taken to hospital by ambulance. His condition is not yet known.

Trains using the nearby Broadstairs railway station were disrupted when the fire was at its height.