School children were getting ready to perform at a Shakespeare festival when the theatre they were in had to be evacuated after a chemical leak.

Emergency crews were called to The Woodville theatre and cinema complex in Gravesend on Friday night.

At least four fire engines and a mobile support unit were sent to the Civic Centre at around 6.20pm.

The building, which also houses Gravesham Council’s offices, was evacuated after a chlorine dioxide leak was discovered in the plant room.

Pupils from four schools were due to perform at the theatre for the Shakespeare in Schools Festival, but the show had to be canceled.

A group of pupils from Thomas Aveling School in Rochester were set to perform The Taming of the Shrew.

Teachers Danielle Fenton and Claire Wybourn said: “The theatre and Shakespeare In Schools Festival staff handled the exceptional circumstances extremely well and kept both us and the students up to date with information as the events unfolded.

“We were of course disappointed not to perform our production of The Taming of the Shrew as the students have been working hard on this since July. However the Shakespeare In Schools Festival have been in touch and we hope to have another performance date soon.

“We cannot thank everyone involved enough for evacuating us safely and quickly. The students were a credit to our school and their exemplary behaviour in a difficult time should be commended.”

They added: “Not all was lost as Mrs Wybourn and the cast met Antony Costa.”

The former Blue singer was in town to switch on the Christmas lights.

A Gravesham Borough Council spokesman said: “The fire brigade was called on Friday evening to attend a fault in the Civic Centre plant room, affecting the water treatment system. There was no danger to the public and the building was evacuated as a precaution.

“There was a Shakespeare School Festival on in the main auditorium at the time. We apologise to all those who were there, for the inconvenience caused.”

He said the fault had been identified and engineers will be on site today.

A fire service spokesman said the leak was contained in the building and posed no danger to the public. Crews wearing breathing apparatus entered the building to isolate the leak.