A neighbour came to the rescue when a man fell asleep after leaving a frying pan on his hob.

He smelled smoke coming from the property in Millfield, New Ash Green, and went to investigate. Seeing smoke inside the house and getting no answer at the door, he let himself in using a spare key.

The man found his neighbour asleep in the lounge, oblivious to the danger, woke him up and got him out of the smoke-logged house.

The rescuer realised the fumes were coming from a frying pan that had been left on a hob in the kitchen and quickly removed it.

Two fire crews arrived at the scene on Sunday evening and checked the house to ensure there was no fire and ventilated the ground floor to clear the smoke. They also checked the man for signs of smoke inhalation.

Dartford crew manager Gary Miller said today: "This incident could have escalated into a serious fire. With no smoke detectors fitted to alert him, this man has his neighbours to thank for potentially saving his life as well as his property.

"I would advise residents to ensure they have working smoke alarms on each floor of their home and to never leave cooking unattended. A moment's distraction could lead to a serious fire."