Six fire engines and two Army vehicles currently fighting a large grass fire near the Kent coast.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service were called to The Ranges, in Galloways Road, Lydd, just before 5.30am.

Local retained firefighters from Lydd and New Romney were the first on scene and were confronted approximately 600 by 200 metres of burning undergrowth.

The Army has also provided two 4x4 vehicles to assist crews with accessing remote areas of the fire that cannot be reached by a standard fire appliance.

Firefighters are tackling the blaze with hose reel jets, flex packs and beaters which have been specifically designed to fight fires of this nature.

This is the third large grass fire in the area since June 27, and the dry weather is thought to be the cause.

People are urged to be extra careful in the countryside in dry conditions, and to never discarding cigarettes out of car windows and always making sure children know of the dangers of deliberately starting fires.