A young man has suffered burns after a bonfire exploded in his Ramsgate garden.

The man, believed to be in his late 20s, is thought to have used liquid fuel on rubbish last night.

When he threw a match onto the bonfire, it exploded and he suffered burns to his chest, face and arms described as minor.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service crews were called to the Nixon Road property at about 5.30pm.

Firefighters have now warned people not to use flammable liquids to start fires.

Duty area manager John Robertson said: "It appears that the man used liquid fuel to try and light some unwanted rubbish that he wanted to burn.

"When he threw a lit match onto the rubbish, flammable vapours from the fuel flashed back and he suffered slight burns to his chest, face and arms.

"It's very fortunate that he wasn't more seriously injured because using flammable liquids to start bonfires or barbecues is incredibly dangerous.

"Having a bonfire or burning rubbish is not the only option; there are other ways to get rid of garden waste, like recycling or composting. These options are not only safer but also better for the environment as well."