Firefighters scaled the roof of a four-storey block of flats as a fire took hold on a balcony.

The blaze broke out at the Wallis Place complex, off Hart Street, Maidstone on Friday evening.

A fire service spokesman said 'discarded smoking materials' set fire to a plant pot and artificial grass.

Tony Coomes, who lives opposite, said: "It looked like there were flames and some smoke coming from the balcony -a bit like what you would see from a small barbecue.

"When the fire crews arrived they began shooting water up in a big column from the ground. The next thing I knew they were on the roof of the building leaning over and directing water onto the balcony."

People nearby were told to stay indoors while the blaze was being tackled and the fire service left the scene around 5.15pm.

The fire service spokesman said the small fire was put out by crews on the ground.

Wallis Place is a development of 280 flats built on the site of a former factory on the banks of the River Medway. The homes were completed between 2008 and 2013.