A hot ember from a open fire rose up a chimney and caught a wooden lintel alight in an attic in a 300 year-old home in Cooling.

Firefighters were called out to the property near a farm in the village at about 4am this morning after the homeowner investigated the loft area spotted embers alight inside.

When the crew from Strood arrived at the home they discovered the wooden lintel has almost burnt through and determined the fire must have been burning for several days.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: “An ember from the fire in the lower part of the house has travelled up the chimney all the way to the loft.

“The loft also had an open fire but it had been shored-up with the wooden lintel but the ember had burnt almost through it.

“We removed it and put out the fire but a smoke detector would have alerted the homeowners to the flames sooner, so they were very lucky the fire was not bigger.

“Smoke alarms should be put up in all areas of homes.”