People have been warned to take extra care with traditional fires.

A couple bagged up the ash from their fire, not realising that it was still hot and it started a blaze in their recently-refurbished home in Pluckley on Tuesday.

Ashford crew manager Tim Hanley said: “There is a trend towards solid fuel fires rather than gas fires these days but people do not have enough experience of them. They need to take extra care.”

Firefighters were called to the home in Forge Hill, just before 3pm.

The occupants, a middle-aged couple, had returned home to find it filled with smoke.

The couple were able to rescue their cat but fire, heat and smoke destroyed 60 per cent of their kitchen and the rest of the property was damaged by smoke.

The fire started after the ash was left in the kitchen in a plastic rubbish bag rather than being put outside.

Mr Hanley said: “It was very sad for the couple, they had spent a lot of money refurbishing the place. It was a labour of love. But if they had not returned home when they did the whole house may have been destroyed.

“Ash from a fire always has to be put outside and in a metal container.”

Mr Hanley said people’s lack of experience with solid fuel fires has led to other cases such as people attempting to light a fire without a flue.

He added that greater care has to be taken with all sources of naked flame in a household, as other blazes have been accidentally caused by candles.

Two fire engines, from Ashford and Tenterden, were called to the blaze along with a water unit from Ashford. Crews were at the scene for one-and-a-half hours.