Firefighters battled to save a woman trapped in a burning car after the last of four separate crashes in Maidstone and Detling on Monday morning.

The morning began when a white Transit van collided with a VW Polo at around 8.45am on the Maidstone-bound carriageway of the A249 between Detling and Jade's Crossing.

A few minutes later, a car narrowly avoided a collision with a lorry before leaving Heathfield Road, Penenden Heath, and careering into a hedge bordering a nearby garden.

The next accident took place shortly after, on the A249 Maidstone-bound, near the junction of Scragged Oak Road, where a Vauxhall Meriva collided with a grey Peugeot 206. One person sustained minor injuries.

The final accident of the morning happened on the A249, near the Stockbury roundabout, at about 9.20am, when a VW Golf and a lorry collided.

The car burst into flames and firefighters were called to rescue a woman who was trapped inside.

It is not known whether she was injured or not.

Drivers faced delays of up to two hours and police were advising motorists to avoid the A249 where possible between the Stockbury roundabout and Maidstone.