Firefighters put out an out of control bonfire before it spread to a massive haystack just 20ft away.

Crews were called to the blaze at 6.15pm yesterday at Bower Road, Mersham.

The rubbish fire had been left overnight and into the day but and had 50 tonnes of hay perilously close to it.

An Ashford Fire Station spokesman said: “It was lucky the wind was blowing away from the hay towards the bonfire. If it had been the other way round we would have been there all night.

“We would advise people not to leave their bonfires unattended.”

One fire engine from the Ashford station was at the scene for an hour and a half.