A 40-year-old man has been arrested after fire damaged a flat near Canterbury.

He was taken into custody following the blaze in Church Road, Hoath, which started shortly before 11.30am yesterday.

Police say the man from Hoath was arrested later the same day on suspicion of arson and abstracting electricity and is in custody.

Neighbours had raised the alarm after smoke was seen pouring from the window of a ground floor flat.

Firefighters raced to the property in Church Road, Hoath, where they found the kitchen well alight.

The property was empty and firefighters got into the flat to fight the blaze using a water main jet and wearing breathing masks.

They also used a pressure fan to clear smoke from the property. The kitchen was quite badly damaged but there are no reports of injuries.

The exact cause of the outbreak is unclear but thought to suspicious and is now under investigation.

A police spokesman said: "We were was called at 11.47am on Monday, February 5, to a report of a fire in a flat in Hoath. No casualties were reported. The cause of the fire is being treated as suspicious and inquiries are ongoing."

Anyone with information about the fire and who hasn’t already spoken to officers shoould call on 01843 222289 or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting reference number 05-0415.