Residents of a Canterbury residential home had to be evacuated in the early hours of the morning after a fire started in an upstairs bedroom.

Firefighters were called to Pilgrims Lodge in Pilgrims Way at 1.15am and used hose reel jets and a ventilation fan to extinguish the blaze.

All the elderly residents were safely taken out and no one was injured.

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David Barzotelli, whose firm runs the home overlooking the Chaucer playing fields, said: "Thankfully no one was hurt and all our residents are safe.

"The fire was contained to a single unoccupied room and we are waiting for the fire officers to investigate how it started."

Firefighters were joined at the scene by paramedics and volunteers from the Red Cross.

A fire service spokesman said: "All residents and staff were safely evacuated to another building and were assessed by paramedics.

"Firefighters worked hard to contain the fire and used breathing apparatus, hose reel jets, a covering jet and a ventilation fan to extinguish the blaze.

"The cause of the fire isn't known at this stage and an investigation will take place later today."