Fears of a gun battle proved to be unfounded after it emerged today marks the start of duck and goose hunting season.

People posted on social media and contacted our sister paper, the Sittingbourne News Extra, asking what the loud bangs were around Iwade.

But rather than a shoot-out, it soon emerged it was hunters out in fields around the village.

One caller, who lives in the School Lane area, described how he had just woken up at 5.05am when he heard the noises.

He said: "There were two sounds like shotgun blasts followed by three pops which could have been handguns."

The shooting was still continuing when he left for work 30 minutes later.

Duck and goose hunting season runs in England and Wales from September 1 until January 31.