FIRE crews had to rescue a sleeping man after smoke billowed into his top floor flat from a downstairs blaze.

The drama started shortly after midnight on Sunday following a 999 call to Pedro’s Flamegrill restaurant in Gillingham High Street.

Medway Fire Station watch manager George Caffrey said: "We had learned that someone was still inside. When we found him he was asleep and we had to wake him up and get him out."

The man was treated by an ambulance crew. He refused to be taken to hospital.

The fire destroyed the kitchen and caused smoke damage to most of the rest of the restaurant.

Six people were also evacuated from a neighbouring building.

READ THE FULL STORY IN MONDAY'S MEDWAY MESSENGER.