A mother and her two children were rescued from their blazing home after her son set fire to a clothes horse.

The four-year-old boy, who was playing with a lighter, started the living room fire at 8.30am on Saturday (Oct 23), trapping the family in a bedroom.

Firemen arrived at the block of maisonette flats in Orchard Way, Banbury, minutes later, and the child, his mother and a one-year-old baby boy were rescued. Police have not named the family.

Assistant divisional officer Ashley Gurr, from Banbury Fire Station, criticised the family for not having batteries in two smoke detectors in the flat.

He added: "Had the fire started in the middle of the night, we could have been looking at something far more serious." They were not seriously injured but were taken to Horton Hospital suffering from slight smoke inhalation. The lounge was badly damaged in the fire. The family is believed to be staying with relatives.

Story date: Monday 25 October

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