Firefighters pulled two pet dogs to safety after they were trapped in a blazing house.

A discarded cigarette has been blamed for the fire which severely damaged the semi-detached home in Lynsted.

The alarm was raised by a neighbour who saw smoke and flames coming from the roof just before 4pm on Friday.

Red Cross volunteers were called to help the family which was left homeless by the blaze in Lynsted Lane.

The roof was destroyed and the rest of the property was damaged by smoke, heat and water.

Neighbour Kim Webb, 62, said: “It was lucky it was the Easter school holidays as no one was in the house. The family had taken their two children out for the day.

“I was only home because I was about to take my cat Dolly to the vet.

“I could smell smoke and thought it was a bonfire. When I went to check I saw an orange ball of flame in the middle of one of the fence panels.

“By then it was too big for a hose pipe so I called 999. While I was on the phone the fire spread to the low roof. I told the operator ‘Oh God, the house is on fire!’

“We were so lucky no one was hurt but I keep thinking about what might have happened. It doesn’t bare thinking about.”

The semi-detached house dates back to 1550 and is one of the oldest in the village.

Mrs Webb, a mum of two, has lived there for 37 years. She works at Meadowfields Special School, Sittingbourne and is a former Miss Sheppey 1975.

A fire wall in the loft stopped the blaze spreading to her part of the house.

She added: “The firefighters were wonderful. They were so calm and efficient. They even let me rescue my daughter’s childhood teddy bear Loopy from her bedroom when it was safe.”

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “It is believed the fire was started by a discarded cigarette in the garden which spread to a log pile, fencing and then to the wooden exterior of the kitchen before making its way to the roof space.

“Crews worked hard to tackle the fire and to prevent it from spreading using hose reel jets and a fog spike. They also used a height vehicle to gain perspective of the fire and to support inspection of the roof structure.”

He warned: “Smokers should always fully extinguish cigarettes in ashtrays and never throw them away, especially in a garden.”

For advice on smoking, call the fire service’s home safety team on 0800 923 7000.

There were no injuries. It is not thought the cause was suspicious.

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