A DRIVER had a lucky escape after his car burst into flames while on the road.

The driver was forced to pull over the rental vehicle outside the Merry Chest cafe in Watling Street, Bean, as fire spread from the engine compartment.

A crew from Dartford Fire Station were called to the incident just before 11am today (Tuesday, February 3).

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “The engine compartment was completely destroyed by fire. We had to use quite a lot of water to extinguish the flames.”