Firefighters are tackling a blaze at a restaurant on a main road in Birmingham.

Fifteen fire engines were sent to deal with the fire at TGI Friday's on Hagley Road, Edgbaston.

Witnesses said the diner’s roof was completely burned through as firefighters on two hydraulic platforms trained hoses on the blaze which began at around 6am.

More than 50 firefightersbattled to prevent the blaze spreading to an electricity sub-station inside the restaurant.

The alarm was raised by a passing police officer who noticed smoke blowing across both carriageways of the main artery route into the city.

With visibility already poor in the morning gloom, diversions were swiftly put in place between Rotton Park Road and Norfolk Road.

The closures brought gridlock to surrounding roads during the morning rush hour and all routes were not expected to reopen until well after lunchtime.

Fire Service spokesman Nigel Soden said the fire had damaged a large section of the two-storey building.

He said: “There is a severe fire in the roof and ground floor. It is still blazing in a section of the building where there is a gas main. There is also a risk of it spreading to an electricity sub-station. We have notified the relevant utilities.”

The Fre Service is yet to ascertain the cause of the fire but no one is believed to have been injured in the blaze.

The American theme restaurant was the first TGI Fridays in the UK when it opened in 1986. There are now 45 nationwide.

The chain is owned by American company Carson Restaurants Worldwide.

Acting Insp Des Lambert of West Midlands Police said that Hagley Road would remain closed for much of the day.