A popular tea room went up in smoke as firefighters tackled a thatch roof blaze for more than three hours.

Tower Hill Tea Gardens, opposite Whitstable Castle, started burning at about 10.30pm last night.

Three fire engines raced to scene as crews cut away the thatched roof which was severely damaged by the blaze.

Neil Baker, councillor for the Tankerton ward, says the tea kiosk is a key asset to the area.

He said: "The tea gardens have long been a popular place to relax in while enjoying a cup of tea or a slice of cake.

"The gardens mean a lot to people who have spent time there over the years, both locals and visitors alike.

"It's obviously too early to speculate on the cause of the fire, and it would be inappropriate for me to do so, but I will be concentrating on ensuring a return to normality as soon as possible so this lovely asset can be brought back to use.

"The tea gardens are an iconic part of Tankerton and an absolutely integral contributor to the charm of the area.

"I know members of the hard-working Castle Trust will be keen to get things moving forward as quickly as possibly and I hope I'll be able to help them through the bureaucracy that can unfortunately arise in such situations from time to time.

"In the meantime, I'd like to thank the fire service for their work overnight, because without it the scene people work up to this morning could have been even more devastating."

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

There were no reported injuries.