Firefighters were called out to a home in Rochester last night after the woman who lived there forgot she had put some chicken on the boil.

The woman, who has not been named, had been cooking a treat for her pooch, but took a phone call and forgot she’d popped a pan on the stove.

After receiving the call on her mobile the woman then decided she would take her dog for a walk but while she was out the pan boiled dry and her house filled with smoke.

Firefighters from Strood were called out to the property in Maidstone Road, after a neighbour spotted smoke coming from inside.

Before the crew arrived on the scene a passerby had broken down her front door to see if anyone was trapped inside.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service, said: “There was no fire inside and it was just the house had filled with smoke because the water had boiled dry.

“It was soon established no one was inside and we ventilated the property and made it safe just as the homeowner was returning.

“We also fitted a new smoke alarm inside as one of hers was broken.”