Firefighters were called to Chatham Docks because of a pile of wood chippings that had been smouldering for a fortnight.

A passer-by at the commercial docks, off Pier Road, mistook the smoke for a more serious fire and dialled 999 on Wednesday.

The docks' private fire crew had in fact been dealing with smouldering in the gigantic pile for two weeks.

Wood chippings are known to spontaneously combust as they decompose.

Medway fire station watch manager Simon Yaxley said: "We were called at 11.20am, but we weren't needed to help with the situation.

"The private crew were cutting a hole into the pile to remove it, wet it down and put it on to a ship."