POLICE have described two young boys who set a woman's hair alight on the Shepway estate in Maidstone as "evil".

The boys approached the woman as she walked along Leicester Road between 6.45pm and 7pm on Monday. One sprayed an aerosol can in her face, before somehow setting her hair on fire.

The woman, who is 30 and from the Shepway estate, managed to pull her coat over her head to put out the flames. An ambulance crew treated her at the scene and she suffered only minor burns.

Det Sgt Nick Sparkes said: "It's likely that a couple of 10-year-olds are going to talk about this. Fortunately, her injuries are fairly minor but they could have been horrendous if it had been an older person or someone less quick off the mark."

He added: "It's inconceivable that two children could do something so incredibly stupid and evil."

Anyone with information is asked to telephone Det Sgt Sparkes on 01622 608189.