A major fire has destroyed the ZM Isla del Ciervo restaurant in La Manga after flames ripped through the beachfront venue early on Wednesday morning.

The blaze broke out at around 8.28am at the popular establishment for reasons that are still under investigation.

Huge plumes of thick black smoke could be seen rising above the coastline as firefighters rushed to the scene.

Crews from the Murcia Region Fire and Rescue Consortium and Cartagena Fire Brigade were deployed alongside Local Police officers and paramedics from the 061 emergency service.

Emergency teams managed to bring the fire fully under control by 9.30am, preventing it from spreading to nearby businesses.

Authorities confirmed that nobody was injured or treated for smoke inhalation, although the restaurant itself was left completely gutted by the flames.

The destruction comes just months after the venue underwent a major televised makeover on the Spanish TV programme Servicio Secreto by Chicote.

The long-running restaurant, which sits on the edge of the Mar Menor and was well known for its terrace, live music and summer DJ events, featured in the first episode of the laSexta series hosted by celebrity chef Alberto Chicote.

During the programme, Chicote exposed serious hygiene and organisational issues inside the business, including problems in the kitchen, food storage areas and general management.

The show later carried out a full renovation of the premises in a bid to relaunch the restaurant ahead of the tourist season.

Following Wednesday’s fire, Chicote shared a message of support on Instagram.

‘Everyone on the team is safe, despite the devastation of seeing their business consumed by flames,’ he wrote alongside an image showing the burnt-out remains of the restaurant.

‘I want to send a huge hug to the entire ZM team and hope they overcome this devastating adversity.’

Investigators are now working to determine the exact cause of the blaze, while damage assessments continue at the site.