A suspected arson attack has been reported to police after a fire was started in a garage below an empty house.

Firefighters were called to All Saints Road, Murston at 1.15am today.

Newspapers had been set alight and people living in the neighbouring terraced properties raised the alarm.

Sittingbourne Fire Station crew manager Kev Ford said: “Some people were still up and could smell something.

“The neighbours from either side used buckets of water to put most of the fire out.

“We’re treating this as arson.”

Fire engines from Sittingbourne and Teynham were sent to the cul-de-sac and the crews were there about two hours.