Two people have died in fires in the county.

Firefighters were called just after 10pm on Monday to a fire at a ground floor sheltered accommodation flat in Churchill Avenue in Thornhurst.

A man in his fifties was rescued by firefighters and given oxygen before being taken to hospital where he later died.

One other person was treated for smoke inhalation.

Thornhurst, which is run by Canterbury City Council, has 55 units and a warden on site.

The victim, who had mobility difficulties, lived alone and has not been named.

Steve Oborne, the council’s head of safety and wellbeing, said: “Something like this is of course a tragedy, it’s very sad.

“Everything was done to evacuate the other residents and make sure they were all right while the incident was going on.”

Three fire crews attended from Whitstable and Herne Bay. The fire was contained to one flat.

Crews left the scene at 12.15am.

Meanwhile a man died after a member of the public pulled him from a burning house in Main Road in Longfield.

Engines were sent to the house at 11.45pm on Monday.

Firefighters rescued two women from the property. Both were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

Neighbours believe the man was in his 60s or early 70s, and the two women rescued from the house his wife and mother-in-law.

Investigations into both fires will be carried out today.