An Isle of Wight steakhouse had to be evacuated after 'an alarming' amount of smoke filled the restaurant.

Firefighters were called to The Alamo, on Ryde Esplanade, yesterday evening (Wednesday).

Smoke was coming from the ladies toilets, leading staff to ask customers, some of whom had yet to eat, to exit the building as a safety precaution.

In an effort to 'clear things up', the restaurant has now issued a statement explaining what caused the smoke.

Read more: Fire crews alerted to suspected fire at Isle of Wight restaurant

A spokesperson said: "After thorough investigation from the fire brigade it was concluded that the smoke was coming from the extraction that hadn't been cleaned properly."

The restaurant said cleaners had been in in the days prior to the incident.

Staff opened up yesterday thinking 'everything had been completed'. 

A spokesperson added: "We would like to apologise to the customers that had to be evacuated, especially in the rain and especially to the tables that had to leave without being fed.

"We sincerely hope that you found somewhere else to enjoy your evening.

"We would also like to thank our staff who's quick actions to ensure our customers safety was exactly what we would expect."

It was confirmed the steakhouse would be closed this morning (Thursday), at the very least.