Firefighters have issued a warning after an unattended candle caused a small fire in a bedroom in Maidstone today.

Smoke was spotted coming from the upstairs window in Cherry Orchard Way at around 10am by a neighbour.

The small blaze, which damaged the carpet and a part of the wall, was extinguished before crews reached the scene, but a smoke alarm in the house was not working.

Maidstone watch manager Chris Puxted said: “This incident could have been so much worse it the neighbour hadn’t noticed the smoke. Unfortunately, the smoke alarm upstairs was not working. Without the early warning, the fire could have developed into a potentially life-threatening incident.

“I would like to remind resident to check that their smoke alarms are working. I would also urge people to take extra care with candles, ensure they are placed on a heatproof surface and to avoid leaving them unattended.”

Crews gave the residents fire safety advice and replaced the smoke alarms in the house.