A kipper was the culprit in a suspected electrical fire this afternoon.

Gravesend fire station were called to a house in Cornwell Road, at 2pm today after a couple feared a strong smell in their kitchen was being caused by an electrical fire.

Fire crews used a thermal imaging camera to check the room for an signs of a fire, but found none.

The alarming smell was then traced to a kipper which had been left on a kitchen counter.

Satisfied the alert was a red herring, the crew declared the house safe and fitted it with smoke alarms as a future precaution.