A former Dover fire chief who rose through the ranks to become area commander, is returning to his roots to take charge of fire and rescue operations in east Kent.

Sean Bone-Knell takes command of East Division - an area which spans from Lydd to Whitstable and Dover to Margate, and includes 22 stations with 624 staff - following nearly two years as the Area Commander of South Division.

The 41-year-old joined KFRS in 1986 as a firefighter in Thanet. His 22 years with the service have involved roles at various stations across the county including Medway, Canterbury and Ashford.

For two years he was based at Maidstone Headquarters as Press Officer, before becoming Station Commander at Dover.

After a period as Partnership Manager in South Division, Mr Bone-Knell was promoted to Area Commander in North and then subsequently South Division, before moving to this latest appointment.

Chief Fire Officer Bill Feeley said: “Sean’s wealth of experience and expertise will be of real benefit to both KFRS and the people in this area. The whole of the senior management team is committed to improving the lives and safety of the people of Kent and are very pleased to have Sean in the team.”