A stable block and surrounding trees have been destroyed following a fire in Barming.

Two fire crews responded to a 999 call made by a shocked neighbour who first thought a house was on fire in fields between Broomshaw Road and Oakapple Lane.

Billowing smoke could be seen across the whole of Barming at around 8pm tonight.

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Firefighters used hose reel jets to put out the fire which had engulfed the wooden stables.

An onlooker, who wished to remain unnamed, rushed to the scene after he saw the smoke from as far as East Farleigh.

Video: Barming stable fire

It is not yet known how the fire started.

Jamie Lund, who lives in Broomshaw Road, raised the alarm with the emergency services at around 7.20pm.

The 25-year-old engineer said: “I saw loads of smoke in the air and thought ‘that’s not normal’.

“I walked up the road and I saw lots of flames. I ran back to the house and grabbed my phone to call the fire brigade.

“The horses were moved from there about 18 months ago. There used to be a caravan at the bottom of the lane there but that was set alight around two months ago.”

The fire spread to nearby trees but crews were able to put out the blaze just after 9pm.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: “We were called to a fire at a disused stable block in Edmund Close, Barming at 8.05pm on Thursday .

“Two fire engines attended and crews used a hose reel to put out the fire, which destroyed the building. Crews left the scene at approximately 9.20pm. The cause of the fire is not known.”