Punters had to evacuate a pub after a kitchen grill caught alight.

Everyone was outside by the time firefighters arrived at The Beauty of Bath in College Road, Sittingbourne, at about 1.47pm yesterday.

Two crews from Sittingbourne Fire Station were sent and no casualties were reported.

Two firefighters went inside to put it out, using oxygen masks to help prevent them breathing in smoke.

Crew manager Mat Barney said: "It was very hard because the fire was behind the cooker.

"It wasn't down to their housekeeping because it was very good.

"This was just an unfortunate case of fat catching and igniting.

"The staff conducted a textbook evacuation of the premise and it was contained to the grill that was on fire and we very quickly put it out and isolated the supplies.

"The only thing I saw were some salads already made up on plates on the side, what they were going to put on it I don't know.

"I'm pretty sure if they get a service engineer out to have a look at it they'd soon get it put back in order very quickly.

"They were able to maintain their business, they just couldn't offer any hot food."

The cause of the fire was accidental and crews left by 2.21pm.

Read more: All the latest news from Sittingbourne.