An elderly woman was rescued by neighbours after a gas explosion at her home.

The blast, which came from the kitchen, caused significant damage to the property in Archery Square in Walmer, Deal, smashing the rear downstairs windows and cracking an internal wall.

Kent Police were called at 9.10pm last night to assist fire and ambulance crews at the scene of a blaze.

Firefighters arrived to find neighbours who raised the alarm had got the elderly woman out out of the property.

They attended to burns on her hands and head and provided oxygen before passing her over to ambulance crews.

Fire crews found a knob on the gas cooker turned on, and the casualty told crews that the explosion happened just as she switched on her electric kettle.

As a result of the explosion, there was a small fire on the kitchen table with items alight, and crews wearing breathing apparatus used a hose reel jet to extinguish the flames.

Kent Police tweeted last night "good work by neighbours who had already carried out the elderly resident".

No offences were reported but officers remained at the property into the early hours to ensure it was left secure.