A man who was pulled from a house fire died of a brain injury and smoke inhalation.

Christopher Head, 56, died at Darent Valley Hospital after a blaze at his home in Rochester Road, Gravesend.

The fire happened at around 10.30pm on Wednesday, September 26, and emergency services were still trying to put it out the following morning.

Mr Head died two days later at the hospital in Darenth Wood Road, Dartford, on Friday, September 28.

Firefighters found him at the bottom of his stairs and took him outside to give him CPR.

An inquest into Mr Head's death was opened today at Archbishop's Palace, in Maidstone.

During the brief hearing it was heard the London-born man's post mortem was carried out on Monday, October 8.

The cause of death was given as hypoxic brain injury - where the brain is deprived of oxygen - and smoke inhalation due to the house fire.

Mr Head's two dogs, Alfie and Syd, also died in the incident.

Four fire engines were sent to the scene to tackle the blaze and the 56-year-old was given oxygen before he was passed to the care of paramedics - a pensioner who lives next door was also given oxygen.

The crews also gave both dogs oxygen therapy at the scene.

The former tug boat engineer and car business owner had lived at the property for around 30 years.

The inquest will continue on Wednesday, January 16.