A FIRE chief has condemned university students who have been setting off fire alarms and damaging safety equipment.

Crews have been called to the University of Kent campus in Canterbury 18 times in the last two months, mostly in the early hours, and 40 incidents of criminal damage to fire extinguishers and smoke detectors have been reported.

Already police have issued two fixed penalty notices to offenders.

Fire station commander at Canterbury, Richard Willingham, said: "The students must start to realise how irresponsible their behaviour is.

"There is a risk to others people's safety if we are having to answer false alarms which could delay us attending a real fire."

SEE THE FULL STORY IN THIS WEEKS KENTISH GAZETTE.