A FAULTY television sparked a house fire that left a home in Carterton completely smoke-damaged.

The television set was left on whilst the owner of the home in Bovingdon Road was out for a couple of hours on Wednesday, February 28.

When she came home at 9.50pm the house smoke alarms were going off and she opened the door to thick black smoke.

A specialist fire investigator from Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire & Rescue Service found the fire had started due to a fault with a television set which burnt out.

It also damaged various items directly surrounding the television.

Watch manager Ed Maloney from Bampton Fire Station, said: "Whilst the fire was fairly small and only involved direct burning to the television and the items immediately surrounding it.

"It did produce a lot of smoke which spread throughout the house.

"Fortunately the property had working smoke alarms which raised the alarm to the occupier, so she was cautious as she opened the front door upon her return."