FORUM CLOSING ON 14th JANUARY

Thirty firefighters fought a severe blaze at a disused pub in Oxfords Abingdon Road early today after being alerted by a member of the public.

Shortly after 2am, fire crews were called to the fire at the Berkshire House pub at the junction with Vicarage Road.

Firefighters fought the flames on the ground floor of the building, with smoke billowing from the windows.

The building was unoccupied at the time and no-one was hurt, but a spokesman for Oxfordshire Fire Service said squatters may have been lived on the first floor of the pub in the past.

Crews wearing breathing gear searched the pub to make sure nobody was inside and evacuated neighbours.

The Greene King pub, which is advertising for a new manager, remained cordoned off this morning as firefighters continued to damp down the building to make sure it was safe, and drivers were forced to go slowly along Abingdon Road.

Simon Belcher, a spokesman for the fire service, said: Thanks to a quick call from a member of the public, we were able to save the building and make sure nobody was inside.

One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: We were woken up at about 2am by about five fire engines.

The smell of smoke was quite bad and it was bit scary because it came into our house and we didnt know how bad the fire was going to be.

The firefighters asked us to get out of our house until it was safe to go back inside.

The cause of the fire is now being investigated by Thames Valley Police and firefighters.