Mini goes up in flames in Lavender Place, Carterton

The owner said it took a matter of minutes for the car to be fully engulfed after first smelling smoke.

Fire crews battled to put out the fire but the car was completely destroyed and was left melted to the pavement.

The incident happened in Lavender Place, Carterton, at around 11.15am.

Tom Faulkner, whose wife Michelle was driving at the time, said: "She pulled up because she could smell something funny and she thought it was smoking.

"Then the thing just burst into flames. 

"I was on the phone to her and she shouted 'oh my god it's going'.

"It went up in minutes. 

"I could hear the tyres bursting."

READ ALSO: Police still investigating cause of fatal fire

Mr Faulkner, 43, said that the couple had recently been informed the car had been recalled due to a potential issue with the exhaust.

It was set to go into the Oxford Mini dealership in three weeks for a repair. 

But he said they hadn't been told it was potentially dangerous and they had never had any issues in the two years they have owned it. 

After the fire, they checked the Government's website and found their model - a 2011 plate five door Cooper S Countryman - was known to have been at risk of catching fire. 

The advice online says: "Some engines are fitted with an additional water pump for the turbo charger.

"In single cases an overheating of the circuit board can occur.

"A short-circuit to earth may cause the melting of the plug connections and the housing.

"Further heat development may then lead to scorch damage.

"In exceptional cases, such overheating can lead to smouldering of the water pump.

"If smouldering occurs, an engine compartment fire and vehicle fire cannot be excluded."

Mr Faulkner, who said he had been reassured there was nothing to worry about, thought more should have been done to warn them of the dangers. 

Michelle, 42, a mobile hairdresser, was visiting her customers at the time. 

She managed to drag some expensive kit out of the car before it burnt. 

Chris Dyson, spokesman for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue, said: "Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service was called at 11:19hrs on February 27.

"One fire appliance from Burford Fire Station attended.

"The fire crew used breathing apparatus and high pressure hose reels to extinguish the fire.

READ ALSO: Residents 'didn't hear alarms' during flat fire

"They were at the incident until 12:23hrs."

BMW Mini has been contacted for comment.