A man had to be given oxygen after trying to put out a van fire which is believed to have been started deliberately.

Firefighters from Medway station were called to Lordswood Lane, Chatham, at around 7pm last night to reports a van was on fire on the side of the road.

A spokesman from the station said the man had tried to tackle the blaze with water before crews arrived at the scene.

He said: "The fire was in the cab, the dashboard had melted and the front window was smashed.

"It is suspected malicious ignition and the police were asked to attend because of the nature of the incident."

Earlier this week firefighters were called to a series of car fires in the same area. They were called at 1.30am on Wednesday to a fire in a car in Honeysuckle Close, Weedswood and then found another car about 60 metres along the road in Larkspur Road, Chatham, had also been set alight.

Then at about 3.30am the crew were called out again to reports of a car alight in Boxley Road, Walderslade.

This vehicle was also well alight when the crew got to the scene and as they were putting that fire out, another call came in to tell them there were two cars alight on a driveway about 100 yards down the road and the flames were spreading to the garages there.

Police officers are looking into the possibility the incidents on Wednesday morning are linked.

A police spokesman said: "We were called at 7.38pm to a report of a suspicious van fire on Lordswood Lane, Chatham.

"Officers are not ruling out the possibility they are linked [with the fires on Wednesday]."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Kent Police quoting reference XY/015019/15.