Pubs, restaurants and homes in Rochester were without power for more than 12 hours on Wednesday after a fire broke out in an electricity junction box.

Homes and businesses in the area of Watts Avenue and Maidstone Road, Rochester, were affected by the power cut when the fire broke out at 7.15am.

Firefighters were called to the scene and could see flames coming out of the junction box and called in the electricity company, EDF Energy.

One resident who was affected by the cut but didn’t want to be named said: “The power was off all day. Mine didn’t go back on until about 9pm.

A spokesman for the Shozna Indian Restaurant in Maidstone Road said: “The power cut meant that we had to remain closed for several hours and that’s bad for business.

"The power didn’t go on until about 8.30pm, so I reopened then.”

A spokesman for EDF said power supplies to about 200 premises were affected. Ninety-two customers did not get their electricity restored until 8.30pm, and a eight not until after midnight on Thursday morning.”