An 86-year old woman escaped when fire broke out in her home.

She was cooking in her basement flat in Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, when the smoke alarms - designed for those who are hard of hearing - began to sound and flash.

She immediately left the building, closed all doors behind her and dialled 999.

The Kent Fire and Rescue Service said without alarms Sunday's fire - which started in an overheated television in the living room - could have gone undetected for longer and the consequences could have been fatal.

Firefighters entered the heavily smoke filled property wearing breathing apparatus and used a thermal imaging camera to identify the source of the blaze.

They quickly extinguished the fire and removed the burning material. Watch manager Mark Jones said: “As this incident demonstrates smoke alarms provide vital early warning to the outbreak of fire. Fortunately smoke alarms had already been fitted in the flat and this, combined with the prompt actions of the occupier and fire crews on the scene, meant the fire was quickly contained. “Lasting damage to the flat was minimal and thanks to the quick-thinking firefighters at the scene, most of the woman’s personal possessions, such as photographs, paintings and antiquities, survived the fire. “The woman owes a lot to her smoke alarms – without them this fire could have gone undetected for a lot longer, with potentially tragic circumstances.” Ambulance crews gave oxygen to the woman who was suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation. She was taken to hospital as a precaution.