A man has been arrested in connection with a car fire under a Gravesend block of flats which left residents trapped.

Firefighters had to lead terrified families to safety during the blaze at Russell Quay in West Street early yesterday morning (Wednesday).

Residents had fled to the top floor when the flames on the ground floor barred their only escape route.

Firefighters, called at about 12.30am, found two vehicles - a Suzuki Vitara and a Skoda Octavia - "well alight" in a car port underneath the five-storey riverside building, which was sending smoke billowing into a number of flats above.

Resident Yvonne Worley, 49, who lives on the second floor, said: "We all came out onto the landings and went down to see if we could get out but we couldn't because the door was blocked.

"We ended up in the top-floor flat for about 30 minutes. It was very, very frightening."

The man arrested, a 20-year-old from Dartford, has been detained at North Kent Police station.

Police are appealing for information about the fire and would like to hear from anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the area at around the time of the incident.

If you have any information call Detective Constable Jan Metherell on 01474 366091 or Kent Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.

For the full story see this week's Gravesend Messenger.