Canterbury Cathedral was evacuated on Monday evening after a fire alarm was accidentally triggered, by pigeons.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service responded promptly to the automatic alarm, dispatching five fire engines to the historic Anglican site shortly before 8pm BST.
Crews carried out a full inspection of the building and confirmed there was no fire.
The alarm is believed to have been activated by dust disturbed by unsettled pigeons, possibly inside the cathedral’s Bell Harry Tower.
A Canterbury Cathedral spokesperson said: "Kent Fire and Rescue Service were excellent as ever and arrived at the scene extremely quickly." They added that the cathedral’s engineers are checking the system to ensure it remains fully functional.
The incident caused a temporary closure of the cathedral, which has since reopened to the public.
While it turned out to be a false alarm, the event serves as a reminder of the vulnerability of historic places of worship and the importance of fire safety in protecting them.
The cathedral, seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury and a site of Christian worship for over 1,400 years, continues to welcome thousands of worshippers and visitors each year.
No damage was reported and services at the cathedral are expected to continue as normal.