A couple narrowly escaped a potentially deadly situation after a quick-thinking motorist warned them their car was on fire.

Firefighters tackled the blaze in Ashford that closed off a road earlier this afternoon on Templer Way.

The black VW Polo is thought to have caught fire after breaking down at the lights in Simone Weil Avenue.

Witness Tracey Sorrell said: "The car had broken down at the lights.

"I was behind it, waiting to move to the middle lane when I noticed flames on the road underneath so I got out and went to tell them to get out as they didn't know it was on fire.

"They looked rather shocked and then within minutes the engine went up, it was quite frightening."

Thanks to Tracey's quick thinking, it is not thought that anyone was injured.

She said: "I only did what anyone else would have done. It shocked me how quickly it caught fire.

"Just goes to show that if you break down you should get out of the car!"

A spokesperson for the Kent Fire and Rescue Service said the service "was called to a vehicle alight on Templer Way in Ashford.

"One fire engine attended and firefighters wearing breathing apparatus put the fire out. There were no reported casualties."

The fire was put out by 2.47pm.

Read more: All the latest news from Ashford