A HUGE fire broke out at a major garden centre in Benfleet last night, the fire service says.

Crews were called to a garden centre, which they have not named, in Benfleet at 9:29pm last night.

At least nine crews were in attendance where the first floor of the two-storey garden centre, was completely alight.

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It took more than two hours to put the fire out, and there now will be an investigation into the cause.

A spokesman for the Essex Fire and Rescue Service said: “Crews are tackling a fire at a garden centre in Benfleet.

“We were called to the premises, just off the A127, today at 9.29pm and our Control team sent crews from Rayleigh, Shoeburyness, Basildon (two) and Chelmsford's Aerial Ladder Platform.

“At 10.35pm, additional crews from Wickford and Orsett and an Incident Command Unit from Hawkwell were sent to the scene.

“The first floor of a two-storey building, measuring approximately 40 metres by 10 metres, is completely alight.

“Two additional crews, from Rochford and Billericay, also attended.

“Crews extinguished the fire by 11.49pm and one crew will remain at the scene into the morning the dampen down and check for hotspots.

“An investigation will take place to establish the cause.”

Mark Elliott, station manager, added: “Crews did a fantastic job and worked really hard to contain the fire to the mezzanine floor above the kitchen.”

More to follow.