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Thousands of pounds has been raised to help support the owners of a beloved village pub destroyed in a fire.
The blaze ripped through The Green Man pub in the village hamlet of Hodsoll Street, between Meopham and Wrotham, in the early hours of yesterday morning.
KMTV report on the devastating fire
At the height of the incident at around 4am, five fire engines, a height vehicle and a bulk water carrier were present. Police also blocked the country lane leading to the green.
Inside the pub was gutted throughout and the roof, part of which had been replaced recently, was completely destroyed.
Fire crews and recovery teams worked throughout much of yesterday to clear debris and check for any remaining hotspots.
Owner Alex Brooks said he received a call after 3.30am from a neighbour who witnessed the flames take hold of the 19th century tavern.
He arrived shortly after to find everything ablaze, and later described to KentOnline how he had "lost everything" including his work laptop and priceless family portraits.
A fundraising page has since been set up and as of this morning had amassed more than £3000 in donations in under 24 hours.
The organizer, a local resident who did not wish to be named, said: "I just felt for Alex and his family.
"A friend of ours recently had her house burnt down and it traumatised her."
She added: "The community can get behind it and get support where it is needed. If there is anything they need... clothing, whatever."
Neighbours were "devastated" to see the ruinous state of the pub at the centre of the village which provides the backdrop to its fete scheduled for next week.
Resident John Airey said: "It is just tragic. I have lived opposite the pub for 45 years and it is an old friend as it were.
Drone footage shows the extent of the damage at the pub. Credit: UKNIP
"To see if going up in flames was just horrific."
Speaking in the aftermath of the blaze yesterday, the pub's landlord pledged to rebuild and come back stronger.
Mr Brooks, who took over the pub in 2017 with partner Steph and their two children said: "It is a good little community with a really fantastic team.
"We will do everything in our power to get it back up as quickly as we can."
On the pub's social media page he thanked the firefighters for their efforts and the local community for its support.
He added: "The bricks and mortar have been gutted but the pub will never die! The damage has been done but the pub will live on!"
Members of the public had speculated the pub was hit by lightning, but this has not been confirmed.
Fire investigators said today the cause has been recorded as indeterminate.
No casualties have been reported.
