A Winchester man was rescued from his smoke-logged home by city firefighters, hours after they returned to duty at the weekend.

Their eight-day strike ended at 9am on Saturday. Less than 12 hours later, Winchester crews were pulling the man from his Longfield Road home, in Winnall.

Three fire engines from Winchester and one from Eastleigh were called to the blaze, which started when the oven caught alight.

Crews wore breathing apparatus to rescue the man, who was checked over by an ambulance team and released.

Firefighters then had to go back into the house, which has been converted into four bedsits, because the man did not know if there were any more residents inside.

The house was smoke damaged, but no-one else was inside.