Part of a building has collapsed and blocked a pavement outside a barber shop.

Plaster was seen falling outside the former Britannia Hotel building in Sheerness High Street this morning.

Police were called to attend as the damage had resulted in rubble being scattered across the pavement outside the Kent Barbers and Seun’s Hair & Cosmetics shops below.

A spokesman for the force said: “We were called shortly after 5am to a report of masonry falling from a building in the High Street.

“Police attended and placed a temporary cordon around the affected area, and the matter is now being dealt with by Swale Council and Kent County Council (KCC).”

A barrier has since been erected by KCC Highways, where it will remain until scaffolding can be implemented.

A spokesman for KCC said: “We were called by police this morning asking us to barrier off a section of the pavement, because plaster was falling off from a building.

“Our highway steward arrived, and did what needed to be done to put the barrier out and by that time the owner of the buidling was there with his builder discussing putting up scaffolding.

“The barrier is now in place and we will be removing that once it is put up and we are made aware it is safe to do so.”