Firefighters had to resort to old-style methods to tackle a grass fire on Monday ... they had to carry buckets of water.

It was the only way Strood fire crew could put the blaze out at Rede Common off Thurston Drive, Strood, as they were unable to get a fire engine along the footpath to access the site.

They also used beaters to put the flames out.

The call to the fire, which affected about 80 square metres of grass, came at about 3pm.

Marc Rosier, White Watch manager at the Strood station, said people needed to be more careful during the warm weather.

He said: "I’m not saying it was a cigarette that started this particular fire but people need to realise the grass is very dry at the moment and if we do have to deal with malicious ignition then it is not only tying up the fire service but also endangering the habitat of wildlife."