A Borough Green mum says she didn't realise how close her family came to death in a fire until she saw the damage her house suffered.

Sarah and Stephen Cole's home in Fairfield Road was destroyed in June, but the family escaped unharmed thanks to their smoke alarms.

Sevenoaks watch manager Danny Barrett sad: "Without working smoke alarms the family would most likely have remained asleep until the fire spread to the stairwell of their home, blocking their only means of escape.

"It could have been a very different outcome for them."

Six weeks after the blaze the family has spoken of their ordeal.

Mrs Cole said: "We didn’t realise the extent of the smoke damage until we returned to our home a few days later and it really hit home how close we had been to losing our lives.

"Although all our property has been destroyed, we are thankful to have got out safely and were very grateful to see in our son’s second birthday just days later."

Kent Fire and Rescue Service offers families with children aged five or under, and residents who are pre or post-natal, free safe and well visits.

Mr Cole added: "I would really recommend that people have a free safe and well visit from KFRS, to have the advice as to where to position the smoke alarms and the advice as to what to do if there is a fire. It was something that we took up and it is something that saved our lives."

To request your free safe and well visit today by calling our home safety team on 0800 923 7000 during normal office hours.