Firefighters spent more than three-and-a-half hours putting out a fire in the chimney of a home yesterday evening.

Crews were called to a house in Railway Street, Northfleet, at about 5.30pm and firefighters tackled the blaze from the hearth using specialist chimney equipment.

They also tackled the flames from the roof using ladders and safety equipment.

Firefighters then removed the fire surround and attacked the fire behind it and inside the chimney cavity using a fogspike, a tool which punches holes into a structure so water can be sprayed inside it.

This sprayed a fine mist in to the cavity to bring the temperature down and put out the flames.

No one was injured during the incident and crews left the scene at about 9pm.

The blaze has prompted crews to remind homeowners with open fires and wood burners to get their chimneys swept and checked before lighting them this autumn.

Firefighters say this will reduce the risk of a chimney fires.