A family had to flee their home after fire ripped through the lower floor of the house when flames from a fence fire in the back garden spread through an open window.

Firefighters were called out to the property in King Edward Road, Gillingham, shortly after 6pm on Saturday after neighbours alerted the family when they smelt smoke.

The fire had started near gas cylinders which had been left propped up against the fence and as they caught fire, the gas leaked and helped propel the flames through the open window catching items alight inside the home.

Crews from Medway, Rainham and Gillingham stations spent about three hours at the scene fighting the blaze which, they say, has destroyed the lower part of the house.

The family of three who live there may now have to find alternative accommodation.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We got the call at about 6.05pm and initially the report said it was a fence fire, but when we arrived gas cylinders had caught alight next to the fence and had fuelled the flames through the window inside the home.

“The fire spread quickly through the ground floor and has destroyed it, I don’t think the family will be able to live there.

“We called out the Red Cross to assist them and they had got out safely, no one was hurt.