Fire breaks out at East Sussex hotel - 'Smell of burning and loud bangs'

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said it was alerted to an incident at Powdermill Hotel shortly before 5pm.

Crews were called to ‘reports of the smell of burning and loud bangs from the kitchens’, the fire service said.

"Everyone has been accounted for and the premises have been evacuated,” a spokesperson added.

"Members of the public are asked to avoid the area.”

At 5.30pm, firefighters were still at the scene and investigating.

In an update just before 6pm, a spokesperson added: “It is believed there had been a small, accidental fire which was out when crews arrived.

“They used a thermal imaging camera to check the area and are now preparing to leave the scene.”