FIREFIGHTERS enjoyed a peaceful Bonfire Night as hundreds safely watched the fireworks displays across the county.

Oxfordshire's fire crews answered just two emergency calls sparked by the firework celebrations yesterday.

The first call-out in Bodicote, near Banbury, at 7.30pm proved to be a false alarm after people complained embers and smoke from a bonfire were getting in their eyes.

At about 2.15am fire crews were alerted to Carfax, in Oxford, to reports of a box of fireworks on fire. When crews arrived the fire had already burnt out.

A spokesman for the Ambulance Service said there were no injuries caused by fireworks or bonfires.

Mike Bingham, fire risk manager for the city of Oxford, said: "The county council's fire and rescue service is very pleased to report that on 5 November it only received two emergency calls that were related to fireworks or bonfires. Both were very minor incidents with no injuries.

"In Oxfordshire, we are particularly proactive with fire risk reduction education. We have a dedicated website www.365alive.co.uk that was launched as part of our 365 Alive campaign aimed at saving lives and educating Oxfordshire residents over the next ten years. The site provides information for residents to help reduce the risks associated with fire in the home and on our roads.

"The result of all this activity has meant that, thankfully, it was a very quiet Bonfire Night for the emergency services in Oxfordshire."