BY IAN CROUCH

Quick work by firefighters has prevented a popular Merewether hotel from going up in flames.

Crews from three stations were called to the Prince Of Wales Hotel just before 1.30am on Tuesday to find a fire in the kitchen.

They managed to stop the flames from spreading.

Newcastle Fire Command says about 50 percent of the kitchen suffered fire damage – the rest of the hotel suffered smoke damage.

The cause of the fire is unclear, but police say they are not treating it as suspicious.