Fire experts have repeated warnings that candles can kill after firefighters had to rescue an unconscious woman from a blaze in Garsington.

The fire in the house at Southend was caused by a candle that set fire to a curtain in a bedroom, said station officer Mat Carlile.

The woman, in her mid-40s, is now recovering in the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, from smoke inhalation.

Mr Carlile said: "Candles can kill. They are a growing concern because they are being used more widely and people very often put them in inappropriate containers.

"The thin metal holders that contain many of the small candles get extremely hot and can melt plastic and that causes fires in itself.

"We attend far too many incidents involving candles that have been left unattended."

He said the Garsington woman survived only because a smoke alarm went off, giving her precious seconds to call the fire brigade before being overcome by smoke.

Firefighters from Wheatley and The Slade arrived within minutes and were faced with a fire on the first floor.

They managed to put out the blaze and rescued the unconscious woman from the house.

In January 1999, candles left burning in a bathroom all night caused a fire which killed a man and his stepson.

Vim Slade, 44, and George Pettifer, 36, died from smoke inhalation in the fire at their home in Springfield Road, Wantage.

Mr Slade's wife had spotted the blaze as she carried out cleaning work at King Alfred's School across the road.

She ran home and shouted to her husband and eldest son to get out, but despite using a home extinguisher, she was beaten back by the flames.