A 60-year-old man had to be rescued by firefighters this afternoon after losing consciousness before a fire broke out in his kitchen.

Two Faversham fire crews were called to an address in Plantation Road at 1.30pm this afternoon after neighbours saw smoke billowing from the kitchen.

The fire started when unattended cooking left on the hob triggered the smoke alarm. The man was lying collapsed upstairs.

Watch manager Peter Campbell said he didn’t know why the man lost consciousness, but quickly regained it when treated by fire crews.

He was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.

Mr Campbell added that crew members also rescued a cat by climbing a ladder leading to the back bedroom window.

Police and ambulance also attended the scene.