AN ELDERLY woman has died after a fire at her home in a Kent town which left a man in hospital.

The woman, who is believed to be in her 70s, was pronounced dead at the scene after flames swept through her detached home in Turketel Road, Folkestone.

A man believed to be in his 60s was taken to hospital with injuries which are not thought be life-threatening.

Fire crews wearing breathing apparatus were called at 11.45pm on Friday and spent almost two hours fighting the fire, which started in an upstairs bedroom.

The bedroom was destroyed by the flames and there was heat and smoke damage to the rest of the house.

Inspector Ian Hunter, from Kent Police, said: "This is a tragic incident and an investigation will be carried out but at this stage there would appear to be nothing untoward."