Much of Bapchild was plunged into darkness last night when more than 200 homes and businesses were affected by a power cut.

Supplies went down in the Canterbury Road area just after 7pm leaving 224 properties without electricity.

Many were left in the dark until the early hours of today after damage to a fault on an overhead line.

Bapchild Service Station manager Kevin Belsey had a late finish. He was forced to remain at work until the power came back on seven hours later.

"Our shutters are all electric and we could not get them down," he said. "Due to insurance issues we had to have someone on site until we could close the place up.

"It came back on at about 2.30am. It's just one of those things.

"We've had power cuts before but it's been during the day or early evening. This was the worst one I have experienced."

Rebecca Moran, landlady of the Fox and Goose in The Street, said: "We had a steak night and had to send people home. We also had darts on and they had to play at a different
pub.

"We went and got fish and chips for those that wanted to stay and used torches, lamps and candles. We could not have them sit and go hungry. It was a lovely evening - like
the old times."

A spokesman for UK Power Networks said the fault caused a power cut at 7.08pm. She added: "Engineers carried out repairs to a power line and restored all supplies between
9.32pm and 2.11am.

"We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused and engineers worked through the night to reconnect all supplies as swiftly as possible."

According to UK Power Networks, a separate fault resulted in another power cut in the Dully Road area of Bapchild at 7.23pm, affecting 21 properties.

Most were said to have had supplies restored by 4.45am today but work was continuing to reconnect four remaining supplies this morning.

The spokesman apologised, adding: "We understand how difficult it is being without power and we are sorry for any inconvenience this is causing.

"Our engineers are working to reconnect the final supplies as quickly as possible."