A man and his daughter have been taken to hospital after a blaze sparked by wet washing early today.

The father, thought to be in his late 50s, had fallen asleep on the sofa in his Broadstairs bungalow.

But when he woke at just before 1am, wet washing left drying on a clothes airer in front of an open fire had caught alight.

The pair managed to flee the property, in Northwood Road. But while the daughter phoned 999, the man tried to get back inside to tackle the fire with a garden hose - breathing in lots of smoke.

Two fire engines from Ramsgate and Margate quickly extinguished the blaze.

The man and his daughter, who both breathed in smoke, were given oxygen therapy by crews before being taken to hospital by paramedics as a precaution.

Ramsgate fire station watch manager Chris Nation said: "As the fire started just before 1am, they were both asleep. Had the man not woken when he did, the outcome may not have been as positive.

"It takes just three breaths of toxic smoke to knock you unconscious, with potentially fatal consequences.

"Unfortunately, there were no working smoke alarms in this case. Working smoke alarms are designed to wake people much sooner after a fire starts, which means they are able to get out earlier and will breathe in less toxic smoke."

The living room was badly damaged by fire and the whole bungalow suffered heavy smoke damage.

It is believed the family will have to be temporarily re-housed.