A large skip fire in Willesborough last night is thought to have been started deliberately.

Two fire engines were called to the Furniture Store at Hythe Road after old furniture in a skip behind the building caught alight at 10pm.

The fire crew extinguished the blaze using a hose reel within half an hour.

Firefighter Neil Jones said: "It was a big fire. If we hadn't got there so quickly and it had been any closer to the store it could have spread to the building."

The police were also called to the scene as the ignition was though to have been deliberate.

Anyone with information can call the police non emergency number 101.