A Gravesend couple had a lucky escape when a fire broke out at their home this morning.

The homeowners were alerted to the blaze, believed to have been caused by a fault in a washing machine, by their smoke alarm and fled uninjured to a neighbour's house.

Two fire engines from Thames-side attended the fire at the two-storey terraced house in Clarence Place just after 8am.

Crews wearing breathing apparatus went into the property and extinguished the fire with a hose reel.

They used a fan to clear smoke before removing the washing machine from the property.

Crew Manager Ray Kilbourne said: “Hearing the smoke alarm sounding helped this couple get out of their home safely and call the fire service.

“Fires can break out in electrical appliances and power outlets with very little warning.

"For this reason I would strongly recommend that residents fit working smoke alarms on each floor of their homes and test them regularly.

"They really can save your life.”

A third of the kitchen was fire damaged and the whole house was heavily smoke logged.

A Red Cross Victim Support Unit was also sent to assist the residents.