The fire service said smoke alarms prevented deaths and serious damage to a house in Jericho after a bedroom fire this morning.

A downstairs bedroom in the three-storey terraced property in Cranham Street caught on fire at about 3.30am.

Neighbours helped evacuate the three occupants from the house and fire crews from Rewley Road contained the blaze, which caused minimal damage.

It is thought to have been started accidentally by a heater control switch.

A spokesman for the fire service said: “Smoke alarms were fitted resulting in the early warning of the occupiers and their neighbours allowing their safe evacuation. Had smoke alarms not been fitted the fire could have resulted in severe damage to the property and loss of life.”