FLAMES ripped through a Thornhill home yesterday morning forcing a man to escape through a window.

The bungalow in Shelley Road caught fire at around 1am on Friday.

Crews from Hightown, St Mary’s and Eastleigh rushed to the scene at around and assisted the man – who was attempting to escape through the ground floor window – to safety.

He was taken to hospital and treated for smoke inhalation.

One resident, Sharron Singleton, said: “It was just after 1am and I heard banging and crashing.

“I looked outside and I could see the reflection on the house alight.

“I called 999 and ran outside.

“Three fire engines and a support team turned up to help take tiles off the roof.

“There is one man who lives there – he’s a nice man – I saw him get taken away on a stretcher.”

The man was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Half the building is said to be damaged by fire.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue say roof tiles were removed to gain access to fire using an aerial ladder platform.

Neighbour Gill Gamblein said: “My first thought was [the man], and whether or not he was safe. That was my biggest worry.”

A spokesperson from Hampshire Fire and Rescue said: “We were called at 1.38am to a property fire at Shelley Road in Thornhill.

“Firefighters rescued a man from the fire.

“The two-story house was badly damaged by the fire which started on the ground floor.”

A spokesperson from Hampshire Constabulary said: “We are currently working with the our colleagues in Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service to the determine the cause of the fire.”