THE ENGLAND rugby team have been evacuated from their hotel due a fire in the city centre.

The squad were forced to leave the Harbour Hotel in Kings Road, Brighton after a manhole burst into flames at around 6pm last night.

The team, who are training in Brighton this week ahead of their Six Nations match against Scotland on February 5, have now moved into a different hotel.

Photos taken on Brighton beach before the fire show the England team being put through their paces as their Six Nations preparations begins.

Buildings, including a nightclub, were evacuated and a 30-metre cordon was put in place while East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) and the UK Power Network worked to stop the electrical fire.

ESRFS said the gas was being burnt off by the flames from the manhole, which provides access to to both electric and gas.

Work was carried out to isolate utility gas which continued to burn through the evening.

The busy A259 has now been reopened as Sussex Police take over from the fire service.

An AA traffic update said: "One lane was closed due to emergency repairs on A259 Kings Road Eastbound between A2010 West Street and Middle Street.

"Lane one (of two) was closed for investigation after a fire coming from a manhole in the pavement. King's Road and West Street are both open.

An ESFRS spokesman said: "East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service handed over the scene at Kings Road, Brighton to Sussex Police at just after 1am this morning.

"It's after a fire in a manhole.

"We were called at 6pm on January 25.

"Work was carried out to isolate utilities as gas was continuing to burn. No injuries were reported."

A video shared on Twitter showed the scale of the blaze, with flames spitting from the pavement.

One passerby said: “I couldn’t believe it. It looked like the pavement was on fire.”

A spokesman from Sussex Police said: "Around 6.30pm on Tuesday 25 January, police were alerted by the fire service to an electrical fire in King's Road, Brighton.

"Police assisted with road closures and traffic control throughout the night, and officers stood down from the scene as of 6.30am on Wednesday."

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