MORE than 150 people from neighbouring buildings were evacuated when contractors working on a project fractured a gas main early on Saturday morning.

Firefighters closed Central Avenue in Sittingbourne at about 9am and called Transco engineers to temporarily repair the main in the plaza area, near the Wyvern Hall and Swallows Leisure Centre.

The main was broken by a mechanical digger while contractors were working on the Central House project, a £490,000 scheme which will house the Swale Council for Voluntary Service, already based in Central House which overlooks the plaza.

Sub officer Mark Innes from Sittingbourne fire and rescue service said between 150 and 200 people customers were evacuated from the Swallows centre, the neigbouring public library and the Avenue Theatre where a theatre group was working.

The police station opposite the plaza was partly evacuated and police officers arrived to direct pedestrians and vehicles away from the cordoned-off road.

The road was open again at about 11.30am, but a leisure centre spokeswoman said the Swallows was still closed on Saturday afternoon.