Quick-thinking firefighters saved a house from catching fire after rubbish piled in the driveway was set alight.

Two fire engines from Dartford station were called to the blaze at a property in Drudgeon Way, Bean at 5.45pm yesterday.

When they arrived the fire had spread to a garden fence and a car and had started to cause the outside skin of the windows on the house to crack.

Crew Manager Graham Walkling instructed two firefighters to take a hose each and tackle the fire from both sides, preventing anymore damage to the house. They then pushed the fire back down the drive and put it out.

Mr Walkling said: "Please be careful not to store rubbish in your drive before you take it to the tip, especially after Christmas. Trees and wrapping paper ignite quickly.

"We think it was kids that set fire to the rubbish but if the pile hadn't been there, there would have been nothing to set fire to."

He said it looked like they had been doing a clear out as the rubbish consisted of old clothes and other bits and pieces.