Seven fire engines were called after a suspected fire at a recycling plant.

The alarm was raised at the plant in Laverstoke Road, Allington in Maidstone at around 5pm, after an item - thought to be a flare - ignited when it was crushed in one of the large silos containing various metals.

There were fears the smouldering item could have caused a blaze that had the potential to spread to other waste.

At the scene, crews faced a smoke-logged three storey building measuring 150 metres by 100 metres.

Crews used main jets and thermal imaging cameras to damp the area down, and used extractor fans to clear smoke.

There were no reported injuries and crews left at about 8.30pm.

The site manager said: "The emergency services were called and came to assist and ensure it did not escalate.

"The facility continued to treat waste during the incident - it is not expected to impact the operation of the plant."