Around 50 firefighters tackled a blaze which tore through a city centre restaurant.

A member of staff at TGI Friday's reported a fire in the kitchen at the Castle Street venue in Edinburgh at around 12.45pm.

Rescue crews searched the building and others tackled the blaze from above using turntable ladders.

No one was injured in the fire which sent thick plumes of smoke across central Edinburgh and saw dozens of people evacuated from neighbouring buildings.

The restaurant kitchen is in the basement of a two-storey annex attached to the back of a four-storey tenement block. Part of the roof of the annex collapsed in the fire.

The extent of the damage is not yet known but the fire service said the smoke and water has affected other properties.

Building control staff from Edinburgh City Council attended the scene to check the safety of the affected buildings.

Darrell Wade, chief operating officer at TGI Friday's, said: "We can confirm that a fire broke out within the property that we occupy on Castle Street in Edinburgh. We immediately evacuated our restaurant and all guests and team members safely left the building.

"We are now working closely with the Edinburgh fire service to help understand the cause of the fire. At this stage the exact cause and location of the breakout is inconclusive."

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said: "Firefighters conducted a thorough search of the premises and confirmed no one remained inside the building.

"Crews are continuing work to extinguish the fire which caused extensive damage including the partial collapse of the building's roof. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident will be conducted by SFRS."