Motorists hoping to have their cars cleaned by Hawkhurst firefighters at a charity event at the village’s Tesco store this morning were left disappointed.

A huge fire in Rochester at a shipyard near the Medway, combined with a big blaze at a barn in Sittingbourne put the Kent Fire and Rescue Service under pressure and all crews had to return to active readiness.

A KFRS spokesman apologised, saying “the crews have been called away to an emergency.”