A child had to be rescued following a bedroom fire.

The youngster was taken to hospital by their parents before fire crews arrived.

Two adults who suffered from smoke inhalation were cared for by paramedics.

The blaze broke out at a ground floor flat in the High Street, Dover, today and the fire brigade was called at 8am.

Crews wearing breathing apparatus used a hose reel jet to extinguish the flames and a high pressure fan to clear the property of smoke.

Daniel Baker of the Associates hairdressers across the road said: "There emergency services were already there when I arrived. There were two fire engines and an ambulance there. But I couldn't see anything as the vehicles were in front of the entrance."

Carol Buckminster from the nearby Co-operative Funeralcare said: "I saw the emergency services there when I was coming into work and I had no idea what was going on.

"I saw a group of people outside and I guessed they must have come from the building. There was a dog loose outside and it was caught by two firemen."

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "There were three casualties, two adults suffering with the effects of smoke inhalation who were handed into the care of South East Coast Ambulance Service and a child was taken to hospital by parents prior to KFRS's arrival."

KFRS said that the bedroom was destroyed. The cause of the blaze is not so far known but is believed to be accidental.

Two fire engines were called out and firefighters were stood down at exactly 9.11am.

SECAmb confirmed that it sent an ambulance to the incident but did not have to take anyone to hospital.

The stricken flat was one of 10 in the building of the former Royal Victoria Hospital, which closed in 1987.

Sanctuary Housing is the landlord confirmed that the block was evacuated of other residents.

They have since been able to return home.

A spokesman said today: "Sanctuary staff have been on site assessing the damage caused by the fire and will also be offering any support that our residents need."