Three men were taken to taken to hospital today, one in a serious condition, after a pumpkin with a tealight candle burning inside caused a flat fire in Wolverhampton.

The blaze broke out in a ground floor flat in Westacre Crescent, Finchfield, at around 1.30am. Fire crews were called to the block of six flats where they found one of the living rooms well alight.

Two men, aged 58 and 71, escaped from the home before firefighters arrived along with other residents of the neighbouring properties.

One woman had to be rescued using a ladder from a first floor balcony as she was unable to access the stairwell due to smoke.

The two occupants of the flat were taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, one in a serious condition. A third elderly man was also taken to hospital with minor smoke inhalation.