A BUSY pub was evacuated after a workmen accidentally set fire to its roof.

About 50 people were evacuated from the Paul Pry in High Street, Rayleigh, at about 4.45pm today as the pub started to fill with smoke.

The fire started near an extractor fan, which accelerated the flames.

The workman stopped the fire spread using containers of water from an outside tap until eight firefighters from Rayleigh Weir Fire Station arrived to find smoke rising from the roof.

The firefighters put out the fire in about 10 minutes but then removed boards from the flat roof to check it had not spread.

Roof joists were damaged in the fire.

Drinkers were allowed back into the pub, but the toilets and kitchen below the fire were closed.