Two Abingdon men and a woman narrowly escaped from a fire started after a smoker fell asleep with a lit cigarette in their hand.

One person woke up to the smell of smoke after their bedding and mattress was set on fire by a cigarette which was held in their hand when they fell asleep.

The residents had a lucky escape since both smoke alarms in their flat in West St Helen Street were not working.

The three occupants were treated for smoke inhalation by the ambulance service after firefighters put the small blaze out, at about 2.30am on June 11.

Firefighter Simon Matthews, of Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "This was a very lucky escape for the residents.

"You should never smoke in bed or when you are tired. Working smoke alarms in this house would have alerted the residents much sooner."