Two men were taken to hospital suffering from severe smoke inhalation after battling a fierce kitchen fire in their Oxford flat.

They managed to put out the blaze before firefighters from Rewley Road arrived at the ground-floor flat in Pegasus Road, Blackbird Leys, last night.

Firefighters discovered a smoke alarm was fitted, but the battery had been disconnected to prevent false alarms from cooking fumes.

The two men were given oxygen at the scene before being taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital.

Station Officer Steve Vermeulen appealed to people to make sure smoke alarms were fitted and working.

He said: "The occupiers had a narrow escape from what could have been a much more serious fire."