Firefighters say the early warning from a smoke alarm probably saved a house in Sturry from far more serious damage early on Tuesday.

The blaze started in a first floor bedroom of the three-storey property in Island Road at about 7.15am.

But the occupier was alerted by a smoke alarm and called the Kent Fire and Rescue Service who were quickly on the scene.

Two crews from Canterbury attended and watch manager Mark Jones said the occupier and his dog were already outside the property when they arrived.

He added: "It seems the fire started in a waste bin in the bedroom and may have been caused by a discarded cigarette.

"The owner told us that he had only recently replaced his smoke alarms with new ones and they clearly did the job.

"We cannot stress how important they are - they are literally life savers and house owners should ensure they are fitted and working properly."

The fire only caused minor damage to the bedroom.