A MAN and a woman fled their flat above a restaurant early today when it became smoke-logged.

The couple escaped unhurt at about 2.30am when they were woken up by firefighters. The blaze broke out at the Ashianti Indian restaurant in Gillingham High Street which the couple live above.

Vandals had set fire to a pile of rubbish outside the building and it spread into the kitchen and then burned holes through the ceiling. It then reached a room upstairs, which was not part of the couple's flat, but smoke seeped into their home.

Leading firefighter Chris Caswell, from Medway Fire Station, said: "Thankfully we got there quickly and were able to stop the fire spreading. The couple were woken up by us banging on the door and got themselves out unhurt. They were lucky. They didn't even suffer smoke inhallation."

The flames had spread 6ft inside the building and firefighters were called when a member of the public spotted the smoke and flames. Police are investigating.