A pensioner has been taken to hospital after a bungalow fire in the early hours today.

Firefighters were called to Grenville Way in Broadstairs just before 1am, and arrived to find the woman, in her late 80s, waiting outside her blazing home.

A team wearing breathing apparatus went into the building and tackled the flames with a hose reel.

They damped down hot spots until just before 1.30pm.

Firefighters say that the blaze started in the kitchen and said 30% of it was destroyed by fire, 80% by heat and smoke.

The rest of the bungalow was smoke logged.

Support was provided for the woman by the British Red Cross and the fire service's rapid response volunteer team.

She was then taken to hospital for precautionary checks. Firefighters left the scene at around 2.45am.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that the fire was an accident but do not yet know what caused it.

Two fire engines were called to the incident, one from Margate and the other from Ramsgate.