Diners and staff had to be evacuated from a Bushey Heath Chinese restaurant yesterday when a fire broke out in the kitchen.

Firefighters were called to New China, in High Road, at 3.40pm following reports that a serious fire had begun in the kitchen.

Two crews from Watford and one from Garston attended.

Hose reels and fire blankets were used to extinguish the oil fire and breathing apparatuses were required.

While the fire was contained in the kitchen, the rest of the building was heavily smoke logged.

Dave Elliot, watch commander at Watford Fire Station, said: "It was heavily smoke logged throughout the restaurant because it was coming out all of the vents to the flats above.

"We had to make sure everything was ok."

Crews were on the scene for about two hours and the fire is being treated as accidental.

There are no reports that anybody was injured.