A woman in her 70s had a lucky escape after her electric blanket sparked a fire in the early hours of this morning.

She was woken by flames at her home in Warwick Gardens in Meopham at 4.20am.

After trying to tackle the fire herself by throwing water over it, she found the smoke was too overpowering and so closed the door and called for help.

Fire crews from Thames-side wearing breathing apparatus used a high pressure hose to put the blaze out. A thermal imaging camera was then used to check for hot spots and a special fan used to clear smoke and fumes from the two storey house.

Crew manager, Dave Aylwin, said: “This woman had a very lucky escape, her bedroom is almost destroyed and the first floor of her home severely smoke damaged. The heat from the fire cracked the double glazed windows and caused wallpaper to flake from the walls.

“If you know someone who sleeps with an electric blanket, please remind them to only use it to warm the bed up and not to sleep with it on."

He also urged people to pop in on elderly friends and neighbours and check their smoke alarms.

The woman was checked by paramedics after breathing in smoke but not taken to hospital. The Red Cross vehicle has also been providing her with emotional and practical assistance today.

Kent Fire and Rescue recommend checking electric blankets regularly for scorch marks or fraying; never sleep with one switched on and not to use one if it is more than 10 years old.