A quick-thinking farmer stopped a field blaze spreading by ploughing a firebreak around it.
A field full of stubble had erupted in flames at New Street Farm, Chilmington Green, and firefighters were called at 3.10pm yesterday (Saturday).
The farmer with a tractor ploughed up the earth around the fire, creating a 6ft wide barrier of damp soil.
Ashford crew manager Tim Hanley said: "He was a very helpful chap. Without him the fire would have been considerably worse and taken longer to put out."
An area of stubble 150 by 60 metres had been alight.
Four fire engines were called out, from the Ashford, Charing, Chilham and Aldington stations and crews were there for two hours.
Fire crews now believe that the blaze was caused by flames spreading over from controlled burning in the next field.