A HOSPITAL was blacked out when a power cable was cut and a back-up generator failed.

Maidstone Hospital was left completely without power between 8.30pm and 10.30pm on Monday after builders working on a site in Hermitage Lane severed the main cable supplying power to the hospital just before 5pm.

A back-up generator kicked in immediately and kept the hospital supplied with power while engineers fixed the cable.

But when they tried to switch the hospital back to its main supply, the emergency generator failed and so did the main cable - leaving the hospital cut off from 8.30pm.

Around 3,500 people were affected by the power cut.

Power was restored to most customers in the area by about 8.25pm, although there was a further, brief power cut at about 10pm while work was carried out to restore the hospital’s supply.

The accident and emergency department of the hospital was closed and urgent cases were diverted to other hospitals, including Medway Maritime Hospital, Kent and Sussex Hospital and The William Harvey Hospital, Ashford.

Kent Fire Brigade were called in to provide emergency lighting.

Medical equipment in the intensive care unit ran off batteries, although three adults and a child with intensive nursing needs were transferred to other hospitals as a precautionary measure.

Bernard Place, director of nursing, said: "Our staff acted magnificently and their response was outstanding. Patients were reassured by staff throughout the incident, many of whom stayed beyond their normal working day.

"We have major incident plans for this type of incident and in this case once again the response went very smoothly.

"I would like to thank our staff and our colleagues in the police, fire and ambulance service who were magnificent."

Power was restored at 10.30pm, although emergency cases were still being diverted to other hospitals until around 9.30am on Tuesday.

A spokeswoman for EDF Energy said the company was continuing to work closely with the hospital on Tuesday.