FIREFIGHTERS tackled a blaze at Primavera Pizza in Banbury on Christmas Day morning. 

Crews were sent to the scene at around 5.30am to reports of a blaze in South Bar Street.  

They had to force themselves into the building to stop it spreading to the flats above. 

The fire caused extensive damage to the pizza outlet but the two people in the flats above were rescued safely as they had been woken by the smoke alarm. 

There is now an investigation by police and fire officers into the cause

Incident Commander, Station Manager Mark Ames said: “The fast response of the fire and rescue service prevented fire damage reaching the flat above, and most importantly the smoke alarm woke residents from their slumber – this is a stark reminder just how essential it is to have working smoke alarms on each floor of your home."

Oxfordshire County Council Fire and Rescue Service recommends that everyone has at least one smoke alarm on each floor of their property and to test them weekly.