A young man and woman who went out leaving incense sticks burning on a cardboard egg box returned to find their flat badly smoke-logged.

Firefighters were called to the first floor apartment on St Mary's Island after neighbours spotted smoke seeping from a window at about 9.30pm last night.

Two crews from Medway, using breathing apparatus, broke in and immediately set about ventilating the modern two-bedroom property in Watersmeet.

The residents, believed to be students, were said to be in shock when they returned about an hour later.

Crew manager Darryl Spicer said: "We stayed until they got back. We are not in the business of telling people off, but we did give them some very firm advice.

"Frankly they were very lucky. By the time we got there any fire had burnt itself out."

Mr Spicer added that while a smoke alarm had initially sounded, it was not working when they arrived.

He issued a warning to make sure all safety devices are in good working order.