A shocking pile of rubbish has been cordoned off on the old Chatham Hill slip road leading from Blue Bell Village to the A229.

But the waste which extends a considerable distance is not - as some had feared - the result of fly-tipping.

A lorry parked there over-night caught fire on New Year's Eve prompting the arrival of emergency services.

The debris on the road was pulled from the lorry's load by firefighters as they tackled the blaze.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service said they were called to the scene just after 9pm, where they found a lorry trailer containing cardboard and paper well alight. Three fire engines and a bulk water carrier attended and crews extinguished the fire using a main jet and a hose reel jet.

There were no reported casualties. The cause is believed to have be accidental.

Kent Police also attended for traffic management.

Crews were able to leave the scene just after 10pm.

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