FIREFIGHTERS rescued three men who were trapped on the roof of a town centre store after a fire broke out.

The former Littlewoods store was at the centre of an evacuation that stretched about 200 metres along Union Street and Week Street in Maidstone on Wednesday morning.

The three trapped workmen were helped to safety by fire crews who then put out the blaze and secured the building.

The fire started shortly after 11.30am. The cordon was lifted at about 12.30pm. There were no reported injuries. The cause has not yet been identified.

The store has been taken over by the retail group Primark.