Ninety firefighters battled a blaze at a thatched cottage after a passing motorist spotted flames leaping from the roof.

Crews from about 15 Oxfordshire stations have been praised for managing to control the fire at the house in Fawler, near Wantage, on Friday night.

It is the second time fire has damaged the picturesque white-and-black beamed two-storey cottage in the last five years.

Neighbours said homeowner David Fielden was "devastated" by the accident, which is thought to have started in the chimney.

Mr Fielden, who has lived in the cottage for more than 15 years, alerted the fire service after a passer-by raised the alarm.

Fire and special support crews from Oxford, Woodstock, Bicester and Eynsham and Lambourn, in Berkshire, were among those who were called out shortly after 10pm.

Teams from Abingdon, Didcot, Faringdon, Wantage, Wallingford and Bampton also attended the incident.

Meanwhile, fire crews from Bicester, Banbury, Oxford and Witney remained at the scene throughout the night to damp down the singed thatched roof.

Bob Swanton, fire service group manager, said the blaze was initially thought to have been sparked in the cottage's chimney.

But Mr Swanton thought it could have been much worse had Mr Fielden not installed a fire-protective membrane during the rebuild following the last fire.

He said: "The fire was contained to the roof area by the swift action of the initial crews who arrived.

"Crews carried out substantial salvage work to protect the occupier's possessions, and worked throughout the night, carrying out further work to continue removing and damping down the thatched roof."

Neighbours Elizabeth Horder and her husband Dr John Horder invited Mr Fielden into their home during the incident.

She said they had been concerned for the safety of their own thatched cottage fewer than 50 yards from the blazing property.

She said: "Fortunately the wind blew the smoke across the road and over the fields beyond instead."

Mrs Horder added that Mr Fielden had been visiting the cottage regularly at weekends for between 15 and 20 years.

She said: "He's a friendly neighbour and he's very fond of the cottage. He's devastated by what's happened.

"He was just sitting down to watch the television when someone passing in a car said his thatch was on fire.

"The fire service were very quick and very efficient. They were absolutely amazing and were still working there at around 1am and were up on the roof right among the flames."

Mr Fielden declined to comment.