A shed was destroyed by a fire believed to have been started by a faulty tumble dryer.

Firefighters were called to back gardens behind William Street and Park Road at 10.15am today.

Sittingbourne fire station watch manager Neil Ryder said: “It was where the two back gardens meet.

“The householder where the fire started was out at the time. A lady in Park Road noticed smoke and looked down the garden, saw flames and called us out.

“The shed where the fire started was 100% gone and an adjoining fence was 50% damaged.”

Two fire engines were sent, one from Sittingbourne and the other from Faversham.

The crews accessed the fire from Park Road, which was shut by police for about half an hour between the junction with West Street and the mini roundabout at Albany Road.

Mr Ryder said a fence was also damaged by the fire, thought to have been caused by the tumble dryer.