A firm has been evacuated and an exclusion zone set up as engineers expect to take three more days to fix a major gas leak.

Experts from SGN were called to the scene, along with fire crews, in Ratling Road, Aylesham, just after 10pm yesterday.

The route has been closed to motorists and staff from the Yodel depot, which is adjacent to the field in which the faulty pipe is located, have been cleared from the building as a precaution.

A spokesman for SGN said: "To ensure everyone’s safety while we repair our network, we’ve set up an exclusion zone around the site.

"This means we’ve needed to evacuate the nearby commercial property and close a section of Ratling Road to motorists.

"A signed diversion is in place while we carry out this urgent work."

Yodel is understood to be temporarily operating out of its Maidstone depot while the repairs are being carried out.

Despite having been at the site for about 15 hours, SGN says that the work will not completed until Wednesday, October 14.

"We’re currently on site monitoring the leak, carrying out safety checks and preparing to make the repair to our pipe," the spokesman explained.

"However, this is a complex repair that requires specialist equipment and this will be delivered to the site tomorrow for our engineers to commence the permanent repairs."

He also says that there have been no interruptions to local business' and residents' gas supplies since the leak was discovered.

Fire crews left the scene just before 11.40am.

They urged villagers earlier today not to light any bonfires and to keep open their doors and windows shut .

"Residents of Aylesham and Nonnington are urged to please continue in keeping windows and doors closed," a spokesman said.

"They are also asked to not light any bonfires or let off any fireworks at this time."

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