An engine fault is thought to be responsible for a car bursting into flames during the early hours of this morning.

Firefighters were called out to the slip road near the Bridgewood roundabout in Chatham, after the Renault's engine compartment began to smoke as it was being driven along the road.

The driver spotted the smoke as he was travelling on the A229 in the Maidstone direction and managed to pull over to the slip road as the engine burst into flames at about 4.50am.

He got out of his vehicle unharmed.

Firefighters spent about 20 minutes fighting the flames and and said the engine and about 10% of the passenger compartment was destroyed by the blaze.

It is understood the car was only about two-years-old.