Firefighters really were heroes when they came to the rescue of a young mother and her two children after they got locked out of their Chatham home.

The mum found she had left her keys inside her house when she arrived home at about 8pm on Wednesday.

As it was dark and her young children, one in a pushchair and the other about five, were getting cold, she called for help from Kent Fire and Rescue Service, (KFRS) to see if they could do anything to help her get in.

A crew from Medway Fire Station rushed to her aid and duly arrived at the house in Glencoe Road, Chatham to help the trio.

A spokesman for KFRS said: “We decided the best course of action would be to take a few tiles off the roof to gain entry to the house.

“We were then able to get into the loft area and lift up the loft hatch and climb down into the upper floor.

One of the crew was then able to walk through the house and open the front door, the mother was very grateful to be able to get the children inside.

“We then put the roof tiles back on and left, we don’t normally go to these lengths to get someone in their home as there are lots of other ways and means to get into properties.

“But, it was decided this was the best and cheapest way to get them back into their home.”