A GRANDMOTHER and mother fled a burning house in Oxford after their smoke alarm alerted them to the fire.

The two occupants of number 10 Freelands Road escaped the flames leaping from the first floor and roof at about 3pm on Wednesday.

Next door neighbour John Corcan said his wife Margaret had been at home when the fire tore through the upstairs of the house.

He said: “She was very shaken and they had to evacuate her because the smoke was coming through to our house.

“This is the first time something like this has happened and we have lived here for about 50 years.

“I was pleased to hear the family were alright.”

Firefighters from Slade Fire Station and Rewley Road arrived within a minute to discover that the fire started in a bedroom had quickly spread to the rest of the first floor filling the space with thick, black smoke.

It is believed the children of the family had gone to pick their father up from the airport.

A neighbour, who wanted to remain anonymous, said she had returned from the shops to discover her home cordoned off as firefighters made sure the fire did not spread.