A group of people had to leap to safety into the water when their boat caught fire today.

Firefighters were called to Abingdon Marina after a pleasure boat with about seven people on board burst into flames.

Crews from Abingdon and Rewley Road in Oxford rushed to the scene and were joined by staff from Wantage and a water support unit from Kidlington.

The firefighters battled the blaze from a jetty and brought the flames under control by around 7pm, although the deck of the craft was totally destroyed.

Station manager Paul Webster said that the people on board the cruiser leapt into the river to escape the flames.

He added: "The boat was well alight. The people who were on the boat had to jump into the water."

The people were either pulled from the water by the occupants of nearby boats or managed to swim to shore, he added.

No one was injured, but the group was assessed by paramedics at the scene.

Station manager Webster said it was believed the blaze erupted due to an engine malfunction.