A fire has ripped through part of Thanet council's offices in Margate, causing disruption to local services.

The blaze broke out in a computer server room at the building in Cecil Street at around 10.40am this morning. Firefighters from across the isle were called to the scene and used breathing apparatus to tackle the fire, which was extinguished using a hose reel jet and dry powder extinguishers.

The fire is being treated as accidental and no-one is believed to have been injured. Staff were evacuated from the building until it was deemed safe to return.

However, the council's IT services have been badly affected, with disruption to financial transactions and the payment of council tax benefits.

Services such as waste and recycling, street cleaning and grounds maintenance are not affected, and a spokesman for the council said technicians are working to restore computer systems "as quickly as possible".

He added: "The council has plans in place for such incidents and these plans have already been put into operation.

"We would like to thank our customers for their understanding. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Kent Fire and Rescue Service for their quick response."