A family had a lucky escape when their house went up in flames in the middle of the night.

A couple and their daughter were woken just after midnight yesterday (Wednesday) to the horrifying realisation their New Ash Green home was on fire.

They managed to escape through the front door but the fire was already burning fiercely in the kitchen.

Dartford firefighters were called to the detached property in The Mead at 12.16am but support from a further six pumps was required involving crews from Thames-side, Swanley and Horton Kirby.

Dartford's blue watch manager, Lee Abel, said: "Everyone was out of the house safely but it was severely loaded with fire on the ground floor and it was spreading to the first floor."

Police and ambulance services also attended. The family was taken to Darent Valley Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and then taken in by neighbours on their return.

Fire crews battled the flames for five hours before finally dousing the fire at about 5am yesterday.

A fire investigation unit was on the scene in the morning.