The control room of Kingsnorth Power Station was evacuated

Kingsnorth Power Station on the Hoo Peninsula was shut down and evacuated on Thursday after staff found a suspicious powder in the control room.

All four generating units were shut down as they cannot be operated if the control room is out of action.

A spokesman for E On UK, which runs the plant, said staff resumed work at 0300 GMT after the asbestos levels were deemed "perfectly safe".

It is only when it is broken up into its particle form that it can become dangerous Rebecca Jackson, plant spokesman

The powder discovered was "well below the asbestos units set for a safe working environment," Rebecca Jackson said.

But she said they would be working with specialists to find the source.

Miss Jackson said some asbestos would have been used in the building of the power station.

"However it is perfectly safe in its solid form... it is only when it is broken up into its particle form that it can become dangerous."