Guests were evacuated from an hotel in Folkestone early today when a fire broke out in a stairwell.

The blaze started in a bundle of laundry at the Windsor Hotel in Langhorne Gardens at 3.52am.

Twenty-six people, guests and staff, were evactuated and went to the Clifton Hotel opposite.

Two fire crews from Folkestone attended.

Giles Parker, watch manager with red watch at Folkestone, said: "The evacuation was under way when we got there so we assisted with that and carried one lady in a wheelchair down the stairs.

"A crew with breathing apparatus tackled the fire which was in a stairwell at the front which links the basement with the first floor and was put out fairly quickly."

The rest of the hotel was affected by smoke. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.

A unit from the Red Cross Fire and Emergency Support Service was called.

Team leader Ruth Mynheer said they provided hot drinks for the hotel guests and staff.

The Thanet-based unit is manned by volunteers 24 hours a day and covers an area from Canterbury to Lydd.