A Kit-car owner is lucky to be alive after his prized vehicle burst into flames.

When the owner of this Pilgrim Sumo roadster noticed it starting to smoke in his garage in John Street, Rochester, he decided to push it outside.

Seconds afterwards it burst into flames, melting the glass-fibre body and even the tarmac underneath.

Luckily the quick-thinking Rochester-man, who did not want to be named, had the forethought to delve through the blaze and put on the handbrake, stopping the car rolling down the street.

Within minutes a crew from Strood fire station arrived and quickly extinguished the inferno.

John Street resident Stefan Arbon was in a nearby shop when he saw the smoke. He said: "I was in the shops when I saw it. There were flames everywhere but the fire brigade put it out really quickly.

"It was a really nice car, we used to hear the engine rev up as it went down the street."

The prized car was a copy of an AC Cobra. Fitted into the kit - built by custom car company Pilgrim - was a Chevrolet V8 engine with a distinctive roar.

The car had featured at a number of shows in Kent. The value of the car has not been revealed but would have been worth more than £10,000.

At the scene of the blaze the owner said he was too upset to comment but planned to "go home and cry".