A discarded cigarette is being blamed for a fire that destroyed a family home in High Halden, between Ashford and Tenterden.

Four fire engines and a bulk water carrier rushed to private land off Plurenden Road at 9.30pm last night where a mobile home was well alight.

Firefighter Steve Coulson said everyone was out of the home when crews arrived and no one was injured.

It is not known how many people were living in the home, which had been converted into a semi-permanent dwelling.

A shed containing pressurised gas cylinders was also involved in the fire, but crews managed to cool and remove them.

Mr Coulson said: "It was a big fire, you could see the smoke from Ashford. The mobile home was, obviously, destroyed. We believe the cause of the fire was possibly a cigarette and we would urge people to make sure they discard cigarettes safely."

Firefighters from Ashford, Charing and Cranbrook spent three hours tackling the blaze, wearing breathing apparatus and using hoses and compressed air foam.

A bulk water carrier from Larkfield provided an additional 14,000 litres of water to help douse the flames.