An elderly couple escaped a severe fire in the bedroom of their Oxford house just days after water flooded their street.

A pensioner, 73, had to throw water at his 74-year-old wife yesterday when her hair caught fire in the blaze at their home in Harold White Close, Risinghurst.

The couple, who both suffered smoke inhalation, were cared for by a neighbour until paramedics arrived to take them to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.

Diana Hobson said: "They came over here for a cup of tea till the ambulance came.

"The lady had her hair burnt and they were both shaken up. The husband had to throw water at her to put the fire out.

"We saw flames and smoke coming out under the gutter. They are a very nice couple and it's a shame." Only six days ago residents of Knights House, a sheltered home in the close, had to be led to safety after a burst water main flooded their home and the street.

Station officer David Etheridge, of Slade Park fire station in Oxford, was in charge of that incident and the fire which he was called to at 4.20pm yesterday.

He said: "We were working for a good 20 minutes. It was a severe fire.

"They were alerted by the sound of a fire and managed to get out themselves. The cause is still being investigated and we are sifting through the debris. There's no malicious background to it."

He added: "It's amazing that a small close like this can have a severe fire and a severe flood within a week.

"The neighbours at both the fire and the flood were absolutely fantastic rallying together and looking after the victims of both incidents. It was really good community spirit and a pleasure to come across."

As reported in the Oxford Mail last week, repairs after the Knights House flood are likely to take up to two months.

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