Workers at one of Europe's largest coffee producing factories had to be evacuated when a fire broke out in machinery.

Firefighters were called out to United Coffee at the Riverside Industrial Estate, Dartford at about 8.45pm after a small fire started.

Workers had to leave the factory floor while crews located the seat of the flames.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The employees were very helpful to us.

"It was small fire and there was minimal damage and we were at the scene for about a hour-and-a-half."

United Coffee is one of the largest producers in Europe and has a roastery and employs about 80 people.

About 1% of the world’s coffee bean exports are sent to the factory to be roasted every year.

The company roasts about 70,000 tons of coffee a year and voted the Best Coffee Roaster in Europe by industry members across the continent.