A woman escaped unhurt from her house in Hawkinge last night after a fire broke out in her kitchen.

Two appliances from Folkestone were sent to the house in Stansfield Avenue just before 7pm to a report a dishwater had caught alight.

Using breathing apparatus, a high pressured hose reel and a postive pressure ventilation fan, crews spent around an hour tackling the fire and clearing the property of smoke.

The fire is believed to have started accidentally, after wiring in the dishwasher overheated sparking the fire, which spread to kitchen worktops and units.

Watch manager Andy Bachelor said: "We attended quite a severe fire in Stansfeld Avenue.

"The owner did all the right things. She turned the power off, closed the kitchen door, which helped contain the fire, and then went to a neighbours to call 999.

"This will always be our advice, get out and get help."

The kitchen suffered fire, heat and smoke damage.