A burnt pie which caused flats to fill with smoke in Folkestone has led to a warning from fire crews.

Crews were called on Saturday morning to a property in Augusta Gardens on Saturday morning after neighbours reported their homes were filling with smoke.

They traced the cause to a ground floor flat having checked several smoke-filled flats.

After locating the source they needed to force entry into the flat after several unsuccessful attempts to raise the occupants.

It has now led to the fire service warning residents about the dangers of late night cooking, especially after a night out.

Folkestone watch manager John Howard said: "We discovered smoke billowing from an oven and, on further investigation, found it to contain the remains of a pie that had been burnt to a crisp."

The two women in the flat had come back in the early hours, put the pie into the oven but had fallen asleep while it was cooking.

They emerged apparently unaware of the smoke building up in the flat when crews arrived.

Watch Manager Howard added: "Fortunately, no one was injured as a result of this incident, however this incident could have had a serious outcome, due to all the smoke that was generated, especially if neighbours hadn’t raised the alarm or a fire had developed.

"As this incident highlights, it is never a safe option to come home and start cooking after a night out. When you return home peckish it might be tempting, but cooking late at night when tired or impaired by alcohol can be a lethal combination.

"It was particularly concerning that some of the properties we visited as a result of this incident didn’t have working smoke alarms. These provide vital early warning in the event of a fire, giving you precious time to make your escape."

Crews had to use a specialised ventilation fan to clear the properties of smoke and fitted working smoke alarms.

For more information about keeping safe from fire call KFRS free from most landlines on 0800 9237000 or visit www.kent.fire-uk.org/your-safety/