TWENTY firefighters tackled a toxic blaze at Kent fruit farm using water brought from 30 miles away on Tuesday.

Crews from Canterbury, Chilham and Faversham fought the fire caused when a bonfire spread to thousands of plastic crates at Newmafruit in Howfield Lane, Chartham, near Canterbury, at about midday.

With local hydrants too far away a 12,000-litre water unit was delivered from Larkfield, near Maidstone, as temperatures tipped 30C.

Firefighters wore full breathing apparatus as plastic and wooden crates burned at high temperatures and billowed toxic smoke.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue said: "We managed to keep the fire external and out of other storage buildings close by.

"The heat levels from burning plastic is very high and it was an excellent job to keep the fire from doing some serious damage."

Crews left the scene after three hours. Newmafruit declined to comment on the blaze.