INTREPID grandad Nigel Allinson didn't think twice when he feared flames would engulf the thatched roof of his idyllic country cottage.

Without hesitation, the 61-year-old grabbed his ladders, climbed on to the roof and tackled the blaze himself with a garden hose before firefighters arrived minutes later.

But the father-of-three was quick to praise the real heroes – the 40-odd firefighters who saved his house from being completely destroyed.

Mr Allinson feared the worst when his neighbour alerted him to smoke near the chimney of his home in Northampton Road, Weston-on-the-Green, while he was gardening at about 5pm on Monday.

Just eight minutes and 10 seconds later Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue service arrived and prevented the flames from spreading through Mr Allinson's cottage as well as the home next door.

Mr Allinson, who lives at the cottage with wife Linda, 58, said the fire service was "phenomenal".

The S5 Stagecoach bus driver added: "I looked up and saw smoke coming from the base of the chimney after my neighbour shouted at me.

"I grabbed a ladder and the hose and hopped on the roof. After five minutes you could see the flames. I just did it instinctively.

"The fire service was phenomenal. There must have been 40 firefighters and they took all of our belongings out of the house and stopped the fire before it spread.

"The damage is to the roof, but inside it is only water damage. We now have a hole."

It is believed the cause of the blaze was due to heat being transferred from the chimney of a wood-burning fire on to the thatch, which then burst into flames.

Mrs Allinson, a post office manager, was just leaving work when her husband rang in a panic to say their home had caught alight.

The couple have been able to stay on the site and are waiting for the electrics to be checked before they can move back in.

Their son Pete, who lives in Bicester, thanked the fire services on Twitter.

The 33-year-old, who works for a IT technology company, said he appreciated their actions.

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue said they were called at 5.35pm and sent six fire engines from Kidlington, Bicester, Eynsham, Rewley Road, Slade Park and Wheatley fire stations.

The crews used hose reels and hay drags to remove the burning thatch material, while others entered the property to salvage and protect the contents from damage.

Incident commander Darran Hookway said: "Fires in thatched properties are always a concern as the fire can spread through the thatch material very quickly.

"But thanks to a very early call to our control room and the speed and weight of response, the rapid action of our crews meant that on this occasion, we were able to save the majority of the thatch."