KENT Fire and Rescue Service has been named second best fire service in the UK by the people who rely on it.

Thousands of people across Kent and Medway praised the emergency service as "excellent...very efficient, helpful and polite" and urged them to "keep up the good work" in a countywide survey of how well Kent's firefighters are serving the public.

All fire and rescue authorities in the UK are required by the Government to conduct public satisfaction surveys every three years to demonstrate how well each is performing.

Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority (KMFRA), which runs the county's fire and rescue service surveyed 2,400 Kent and Medway residents and found 75 per cent of all respondents were satisfied with the service provided.

Ninety per cent of participants either strongly agreed or agreed KMFRA is an organisation you can trust, and the authority's success promoting fire safety in the home was reflected in the fact that 90 per cent of those surveyed have a working smoke alarm.

The authority came second to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, which scored 76 per cent in terms of customer satisfaction.

KMFRA chairman Bryan Cope said: "This Authority takes enormous pride in the service it provides to the public and we are pleased to hear the people of Kent and Medway recognise the hard work and dedication of all our staff at Kent Fire and Rescue Service.

"However, we also recognise there is no room for complacency and we must continue to do all we can to look after the interests of those we serve."