Arsonists are thought to be responsible for setting trees alight in Rainham in the early hours of this morning.

Firefighters from Medway station were called to woods in Lower Bloors Lane at about 4.30am. As they arrived, the crew found an area of about 30 metres alight.

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "The fire would have taken a while to catch hold. It could have been burning for quite some time. We were on the scene for about half an hour."

It is not the first time firefighters have been called to the area to put out a suspicious fire.

In May, vandals went on a wrecking spree in the area when several allotment plots were set alight.

Thousands of pounds of damage was caused when the plots were torched and sheds were pushed over and fences trampled.