A FIRE which may have been started by a cigarette broke out above a town centre restaurant on Saturday, causing damage running into tens of thousands of pounds.

The fire started in a storage and preparation room directly above Italiano's, Unicorn Hill, at about 12.30am, when staff were still working in the kitchen downstairs.

The first the staff knew of the fire was when passers-by entered the restaurant and told them flames were coming from the upstairs window.

The employees evacuated the restaurant and Redditch firefighters were called.

A hydraulic platform was deployed from Bromsgrove and a thermal image camera was also used to discover any "hotspots" undetected by firefighters.

Redditch loss assessor John Gale, who is working on behalf of Italiano's owner Raf Hussain, said: "The damage caused is quite extensive and the building could take up to three months to refurbish before the restaurant can be re-opened.

"The damage is mainly on the first floor storage and preparation area, which is totally gutted.

"And there is also residual smoke and water damage coming down onto the ground floor.

"I would say the building would cost about £30,000-£40,000 to refurbish."

Sub officer Allan Bennett, of Redditch Fire Station, said: "The fire broke out on the first floor, causing heavy smoke damage.

"It spread through a suspended ceiling into a storeroom.

"Four pumps attended and four breathing apparatus and two hose reel jets were used."