Neighbours have paid tribute to an elderly man who died in a house fire.

A blaze tore through a cottage in Tovil, Maidstone, at around 5.30am on Saturday.

The “tight knit community” there is said to have been rocked by the death of a beloved friend, named locally as Trevor Hales.

Four fire engines were sent to Ivy Mill Lane, just off Bockingford Lane.

Crews fought the flames from inside and outside the property for hours and were able to stop the blaze spreading to neighbouring homes. However, Mr Hales, believed to have been in his 80s, died at the scene.

Shocked neighbours say he was well known in the area and the tragedy has hit many residents hard.

A family friend, who wanted to remain anonymous, said Mr Hales and his wife were both in the house at the time of the fire, but she was able to escape.

Residents of the neighbouring property were also forced to leave their home due to the amount of smoke damage. The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental.

Fire crews, who were joined by paramedics and police, spent more than seven hours at the property.

Read more: All the latest news from Maidstone