Firefighters used breathing apparatus to tackle a house fire as the property filled with smoke.

The blaze had broken out under floorboards but the crews were able to quickly stop it spreading.

Crews were called to a property at Grosvenor Cottages at Margate Hill, Acol, at 2.30pm today.

The fire had started between the basement and the ground floor lounge.

Glen Leach, Margate Fire Station crew manager, said: “There was a lot of smoke but it turned out to be a minor fire, particularly as we put it out quickly.

"There was only minor damage in the end and the occupants of the property had got out safely by the time we arrived.”

The blaze did not spread up into the lounge and the cause is thought to have been an electrical fault.