A man managed to escape his recently-purchased car just moments before it burst into flames.

Having collected the Citroën C3 on Sunday morning from a Gumtree trader in Bexley, Clive Elliot, 60, was driving it to his home in Folkestone along the M20 when it started making a rattling sound.

Concerned, he decided to come off the motorway onto the A229 at Blue Bell Hill - only 22 miles from Bexley and one hour after picking it up - where the car promptly died.

Moments later, another car pulled over, and its driver ran towards Mr Elliot and shouted for him to get out of the vehicle as it was on fire.

Mr Elliot got out, and 6ft high flames took over the car, destroying its engine and bursting its tyres.

Police and Kent Fire and Rescue Service were called and brought the blaze under control.

Mr Elliot now feels lucky to be alive and is pondering how much worse the situation could have been.

He said: "The shock hit me later.

"It is frightening to think that if I didn't decide to turn off the motorway I may not be here.

"Had I gone straight on and not turned off, when the smoke that billowed out, I could easily have hit something or been hit from behind or both and a spark could have seen the car blow up and kill me.

"I'm lucky to be alive."

Mr Elliot was collected by his brother and taken home, without his new car.

Instead, it was taken away by police.

He had paid £600 for the 2004 car, plus a full tank of petrol.

He also forked out £45.70 for a train ticket to get him to Bexley that morning to collect it.

He has since spoken with the trader about a refund.

Mr Elliot, who previously lived in Lordswood and is a former Lordswood Cricket Club captain, has also written to Citroën to let them know what he thinks of their cars.

He feels too disheartened to look for another car yet, but will need one eventually as he does shopping for his 89-year-old mum.

He said: "I can't face looking for another car at the moment and it is stressful when thoughts turn to what could have happened if I'd have stayed on the motorway at probably the most dangerous point."

A spokesman for the fire service said: "Kent Fire and Rescue Service was called to a car fire on Blue Bell Hill, Maidstone.

"Crews wearing breathing apparatus used compressed air foam to put out the fire. The scene was left in the care of Kent Police and highways agency.

"There were no reported injuries at this incident."

Read more: All the latest news from Folkestone