A fire was started deliberately in the old gurdwara in Gravesend earlier today.

Firefighters were called out to the former Sikh temple in Clarence Place, at about 2pm where they found a small rubbish fire had been set alight in the disused building.

Two fire engines from Thames-side were sent out to deal with the fire and spent about an hour at the site putting out the flames and airing the building.

A spokesman said: “Someone had called the incident in to say there was smoke billing out of the top of the building.

“It was a small rubbish fire on the ground floor and had been started deliberately.

“We spent about a hour getting the smoke out of the building and left it with the owners to secure.”

Plans have already been submitted to demolish the former temple to replace it with flats.

The idea for flats dated back to 2008 and was originally granted planning permission back in 2009.

Due to the recession, building work never began and permission for the scheme lapsed.