Firefighters were forced to sound their horn and keep the sirens going to get people to move their cars.

The crew was called to a chimney blaze in Larkfield Avenue, Milton Regis, just before 5pm today.

As the fire engine approached the street from Beechwood Avenue, crews realised their could not get through.

Residents quickly moved two vehicles, one of which was double parked, to enable the crew to get to the fire as quickly as possible.

Once at the detached house, firefighters used chimney gear, a hose reel and a 10m ladder to tackle the blaze.

They also had to dismantle a log burning stove, remove lining bricks and the baffle plate to enable them to access the flue.

After extinguishing the fire, they gave the resident home safety advice and fitted working smoke detectors inside the property. They left the scene just before 7pm.

Kent Fire & Rescue Service is reminding drivers to be considerate when parking.

Parking close to the curb and making sure the wheels of vehicles are straight can make a big difference.