A mother-of-two has spoken out after an overheated phone charger started a fire inside her home.

Cathy Brown's mother had gone to check on a dog in the family home in Salisbury Road, Langton Green, when she found the house filled with smoke and and a small fire ablaze.

Taking the dog out of the property, the woman called Kent Fire and Rescue Service.

Crews discovered smoke had filled the entire ground floor, while the fire had spread from an electrical socket to a kitchen's extractor unit and cupboards.

The fire was put out and smoke cleared with the use of a fan.

Firefighters believe the fire started by a phone charger which had been left plugged in.

The plug is thought to have overheated, starting a smouldering fire in some paper on a nearby worktop.

The kitchen and dining room of the family home were both severely smoke damaged as a result.

Mrs Brown said: "I was shocked by the amount of damage caused simply by a charger being left plugged in, but I am just so very thankful that the fire was discovered before anyone was injured. I dread to think what could have happened if this fire had broken out while my family slept."

"I am grateful to Kent Fire and Rescue Service for helping to minimise the damage to my home, and to family and friends that who have offered their support to us."

Tunbridge Wells crew manager Andrew Hughes said: "The phone charger was discovered still switched on in the socket, and as we can see from the photos, it caused considerable damage. We are urging all residents to make sure that they switch off and unplug chargers after use, and also to take their phone and electrical appliances off charge when the battery is fully charged.

"We are also reminding residents to make sure they only use good quality chargers from reputable suppliers, as cheaper replacement chargers can pose an even greater fire risk due to lower safety standards. It is really not worth risking your life or your home, for the sake of saving a few pounds on a charger."