A family pet which woke its owners by barking has been praised for saving them from a fire disaster.

The dog alerted the mother in the early hours of Friday morning.

She went downstairs to investigate and discovered a strange electrical smell in the kitchen. She woke her husband who turned off the power.

The pair then found their new dishwasher had been left on over night and the heating element was glowing red.

They threw a bucket of water over it but that filled the kitchen with smoke and steam.

The couple, who had just returned from holiday, called the fire brigade to their home in Churchill Way, Faversham.

The dog raised the alarm at 4.10am.

This week firefighters reminded homeowners not to leave dishwashers running overnight.

Faversham Watch Manager Wayne Burney said: "Luckily the family managed to escape safely because the fire was discovered early.

"Had it gone unnoticed for any longer the end result could have been very different, especially as the family were in bed when the fire started."

He warned: "Please don't leave the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher running overnight or while you are out. They are a fire risk because of their high wattage motors."

He said all internal doors should be shut before going to bed to stop fire spreading.