A NEIGHBOUR helped an elderly couple to safety after their home was filled with smoke from a burnt-out boiler, the fire service said.

Firefighters were sent to a house fire in Stonesfield, West Oxfordshire this morning.

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to the home at 8.35am and has sent 10 officers in two fire engines.

Duty officer Gabby Heycock said crews had called for an ambulance, but said the fire was not a major incident.

The fire service said they were alerted to the smell of smoke in a house in Woodstock Road and sent two fire engines from Kidlington and Bampton.

When they arrived, they were met by a neighbour who had helped an elderly couple out of the house after hearing a smoke alarm going off.

He called 999 and then took the pair into his own home.

Two firefighters went into the couple's house and found smoke on the first floor from a burnt-out part of the boiler. The fire crew then isolated the gas, water and electricity supplies.

Watch manager Gary Crone from Kidlington said: "This incident could have been a lot worse.

"It was fortunate that the couple had working smoke alarms and were able to ask for a neighbour to help them in getting out of the property.

"I would urge everyone to have working smoke alarms and also to have their wiring and electrics tested every ten years by a qualified electrician.

"It is also worth considering the advantages and safety features that modern electrical fuse boxes provide such as RCD trip switches which isolate power supplies quickly."