AN Indian restaurant sparked a fire alert in Romsey after a passer-by spotted a plume of smoke coming from the roof of the building.

Three fire engines, two from Romsey and one from Redbridge fire stations, were called to the Romsey Purbani Restaurant in Bell Street just after 11am.

They closed the narrow road for about half an hour while they checked out the building.

Redbridge station manager Brian Rudman said there was no fire, just smoke coming out from the extraction system.

"We would rather people call us out and it be a false alarm than not bother," he said.

Restaurant duty manger Saif Monsur said too much charcoal had been put on a clay oven while preparing for the lunchtime business.