RAIL services have re-opened after being closed following a massive warehouse blaze beside the tracks early last week.

The fire at the blaze Whirpool warehouse at Paddock Wood, near Maidstone, ripped through the building and a mass of black smoke could be seen from up to 40 miles away.

The line between Paddock Wood and Maidstone East has reopened after more than a week of passengers having to use replacement bus services.

Dave Ward, Network Rail Route Director, said: "We have had to be patient while we waited to access the railway line and inspect the damage caused by the fire. But once we were able to do so, our engineers wasted no time in carrying out these essential repairs.

"It is a tribute to their hard work and the close working with the other agencies involved that we have managed to carry out this extensive work and get the line reopened so quickly."

It is still not known what caused the inferno. Nearly 100 firefighters from 15 fire stations were involved in bringing it under control.