Ten tonnes of compacted paper caught fire in the back of a lorry on a dual carriageway.

Firefighters tackled the blaze on the A278 Hoath Way near junction 4 of the M2 at Gillingham at around 10.30pm yesterday.

The fire created a lot of smoke and people living nearby were asked to close their windows and doors.

Police were called to manage traffic. There were no reported injuries.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue said: "Three fire engines and a bulk water carrier were sent to the scene and crews used hose reel jets to extinguish the flames.

"The technical rescue team also attended and used a telehandler machine to clear the debris.

"The advice for people in the area to close their windows and doors is no longer in place."