Roads around an industrial estate were cordoned off for more than two hours early today when a fridge began leaking ammonia.

An engineer was called to the Transfesa Road estate, Paddock Wood, to deal with the incident after police on patrol responded to reports of a noxious smell there at about 3.40am. A gas leak was suspected.

Fire crews from Paddock Wood and Matfield fire stations were called to the site just before 4am and found that the industrial fridge, which contained fruit and vegetables, was leaking ammonia.

A West Kent Police spokeswoman said: “No one suffered any injury as a consequence of the incident. The roads were re-opened at around 6.05am.”