A disabled woman and her son had to be rescued from their blazing flat after a fire broke out in their kitchen on Saturday night.

Four crews attended the incident at about 10.10pm in Honeywood Close on the Brymore estate.

They found the ground floor flat filled with smoke and firefighters wore breathing apparatus to get into the property and carry the woman to safety.

They found her son asleep in a bedroom and he too was led out of the property.

Both were given oxygen at the scene and the woman taken to hospital for a further check-up.

Watch manager Sheridan Hudson-Peacock said the fire raised two important safety issues.

The fire was started by cooking being left unattended in the kitchen and the flat was not fitted with a smoke detector.

He said: "Both these issues are serious safety matters. We would urge householders to make sure that stoves and grills are not left unattended while being used for cooking.

"Equally, the installation of smoke alarms in homes is vital because they were lifesavers. Fortunately, on this occasion, the alarm was raised but incidents like this can end in tragedy."

Crews from Whitstable and Faversham, who were on standby covering Canterbury, fought the fire because the local crews has earlier been called to a haystack and field fire at Bishopsbourne.