THOUSANDS of homes were left without electricity after a power cut in the Bromley area overnight.

The supply failed at 11.39pm yesterday because of a faulty piece of equipment at a main substation in Bromley.

EDF Energy Networks engineers restored power to 2,000 customers by 2am and the remaining ones by 2.49am.

The cut caused automatic fire alarms to go off in the Bromley area.

Fire crews from Beckenham, Bromley, Biggin Hill, Orpington, Downham, Eltham, Sidcup and Addington had to respond every time this happened.

An EDF spokesman apologised for any inconvenience caused.