A fireball set shrubbery alight when a manhole cover flew out of the ground in an explosion.

Firefighters were called to a house in North Road, Cliffe, at about 6.45pm yesteday.

The householder had raised the alarm after hearing a bang and finding plants and hedges alight.

An electrical distribution junction box, which was in the middle of a path, had malfunctioned and exploded.

Firefighters from Strood station spent about half-an-hour putting out the flames.

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "The manhole cover blew off and flames were coming out of the ground.

"The fire destroyed shrubbery in the garden. We used water to put that out and powder to put out the fire in the hole.

"We were on the scene for about half- an-hour."