Firefighters fought two chimney fires over the weekend - ahead of launching Chimney Safety Week this week.

Crews were called to Forge Lane in West Peckham at almost 10.30pm on Saturday, for a fire in a chimney, leaving the scene almost an hour later.

They were also called for another incident at Horns Hill, Hawkhurst yesterday at just after 7pm. They were there for around half an hour.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service have teamed up with the Institute of Chimney Sweeps for the awareness week, which runs from today until Sunday, September 15, which aims to persuade homeowners to plan ahead and ensure their chimneys are fire-safe before the cooler evenings set in.

In the last 12 months, the service has been called to 311 chimney fires in Kent and Medway, many of which could have been avoided if the chimney had been swept..

Head of community safety, Stuart Skilton, said: “These incidents have the potential to do a lot of damage to your property and it can put your family at risk if it spreads, as just three breaths of toxic smoke from a house fire can be deadly. It is also vital to have working smoke alarms fitted in your home, to ensure you and your family are alerted in the unfortunate event of fire and to give you the extra time you need to escape.”

Chair of the ICS Daniel Kemp said: “Having your chimney swept by a professional certified sweep will help reduce the risk of fire in your home or business and also save you money, as clean chimneys burn fuel more efficiently.”

The service offer free safety advice, visit www.3breaths.info

To find someone to sweep your chimney visit www.instituteofchimneysweeps.com.