AN ELDERLY couple died early this morning when fire broke out at their home in Yew Tree Road at Southborough, near Tunbridge Wells.

The alarm was raised shortly before 3am when neighbours dialled 999 to report smoke issuing from the detached house.

A fire crew from nearby Southborough fire station and two from Tunbridge Wells raced to the scene and learned that people were feared trapped in the building.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and using thermal imaging cameras broke into the heavily smoke-logged house and found the elderly man and woman on the upper floor.

They were taken to the Kent and Sussex Hospital, Tunbridge Wells, by ambulance but were pronounced dead on arrival. There were no other casualties.

Divisional Officer Geoff Earland led some 15 firefighters in tackling the incident, and crews remained at the scene for some three hours.

A fire brigade spokesman said: "A fire investigation team began examining the building this morning in an effort to establish what caused the fire."

Anne McCarthy, communications manager for West Kent police, said: "Officers attended shortly after the alarm was raised, but the incident is not being treated as suspicious."

She added that details of the two victims would not be released until next-of-kin had been informed.