RESIDENTS from a block of Boscombe flats had a lucky escape after a fire in the building in the early hours of Thursday morning.

One resident who noticed the fire in the lounge of the first floor flat at Brooklyn Court, Christchurch Road, just after 12.30am, banged on neighbours doors to get them out of the building.

The cause of the fire was an unattended candle left on top of a television.

There were no working smoke alarms in the building.

No-one was hurt in the fire although two people were led to safety by fire fighters.

Around 25 firefighters from Springbourne, Westbourne, Redhill Park and Christchurch attended the incident.

They used four breathing apparatus and two hose reel jets to extinguish the blaze.

Watch manager Simon Jewers from Springbourne fire station said: "Unfortunately the flat affected by this fire is now smoke damaged.

"But the occupants have had a really lucky escape.

"Fire crews led two residents to safety, believed to be from the flats above the affected property.

"There does not appear to have been working smoke alarms inside the flat and we are working with residents to rectify this.

"We believe the fire was caused by unattended candles.

"If candles had been safely extinguished before the occupiers had fallen asleep this incident could have been prevented."

He added: "I can't stress enough how important it is to have working smoke alarms on all levels of your home."

The Red Cross fire and emergency support vehicle also attended to provide assistance to the residents.

The television was destroyed in the fire along with fire damage to lounge itself and smoke damage to the rest of the building.

Fire fighters fitted eight smoke detectors to various flats in the building before leaving.