A family of four has been left with nothing after an explosion at their flat.

Emergency services were called to the incident in Catlyn Close, East Malling last night where the window of a first-floor home was blown out by the force of the blast.

Police and paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after 7pm.

Two fire engines also attended and crews treated three people for burns and breathing difficulties.

They were passed into the care of paramedics before being taken to hospitals in Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone.

The incident was brought under control shortly after 9pm.

A police cordon was in place earlier this morning but has since been removed.

Gem Davies, from Lenham, is close friends with the family and said all their belongings either burned down or have been damaged by the explosion.

The two adults and their two young children, one of which has been in and out of hospital, have now been put into a hotel for the time being.

She said: "They have been through a lot since the birth of their youngest and it's such a shame this has happened to such a lovely family.

" We have been friends for the last seven years and they have helped me through many of hard times and are more like family rather than friends.

Gem added: "Everyone in the community where I live have also been wonderful and so many people have come forward with donations for the whole family."

Two officers could be seen at the entrance of the ground-floor property with a police car parked on the grass verge opposite.

Workmen were also spotted boarding up the windows to the flat, which had been blown out in the explosion.

Neighbour John Lowe, 71, said: “I could feel the explosion, it shook the house and there was a loud boom. I thought someone was stealing the car.

"There were thoughts it could’ve been an exploding gas canister but for that to blow all the windows out I don’t see it – it must’ve been gas.”

Another resident Jurgita Kostiuk, 36, was watching a film indoors with her husband and daughter when they heard a noise which sounded like " a crash".

“That was the explosion," she said. "We spoke to our neighbours and she told me it was a gas explosion.

“There were a lot of people around the house, everyone was stressed.”

The cause of the explosion is not yet known but is believed to be accidental.

The property is managed by Clarion Housing Association, and a spokesman form the company said: “Our local team are working closely the Police and the Fire Brigade as they continue to investigate the incident, so we cannot comment until this has concluded. However, we have checked the gas supply and appliances and they were not the cause of the incident.

“We can confirm that our staff were on site quickly to help and we have arranged temporary accommodation for the residents of the affected home.

"Our focus will now be on completing damage assessments and any necessary remedial work to allow our residents to move back into their home safely and as soon as possible.”