An elderly woman and her son have been saved after a passer-by alerted them to a fire in their roof.

Iris Harvey, 94, and her 53-year-old son Danny, who has Down's syndrome, were inside the property when the blaze was spotted by a passer-by just before 1.20pm today.

Her carer and neighbour Sue Utton was in the garden when a woman walking down the alley next to the property, in Marsh Rise, Kemsley, shouted over the fence 'your roof is on fire'.

Mrs Upton, 61, who works as a cleaner at Kemsley Primary School, dialed 999 and got everyone outside.

Three fire engines from Sittingbourne, Faversham and Sheppey stations were called.

It is understood solar panels were fitted to the property last Thursday. Investigations are under way to determine the cause of the fire.

Mrs Harvey is still waiting to find out if she and her son are allowed back inside the property.

She said: "There's no electricity so I don't know what's going to happen. It's no good people offering to put me up. I've got arthritis so I can't get up the stairs. It's not much good worrying about it though is it? We're still here - that's what matters."