FIREFIGHTERS forced their way into a house near Abingdon during the early hours today after a blaze broke out.

Forty firefighters were called to the house in Tollgate Road, Culham, shortly after 4am and broke in to make sure there was no one inside.

They found the house empty and put out the fire by 7am, before launching an investigation into the cause of the blaze.

Police closed Tollgate Road between the junctions with Abingdon Road and High Street, which caused traffic delays for commuters travelling between Sutton Courtenay and Abingdon.