A MAN was taken to hospital after being rescued from a 'severe' flat fire in Ross-on-Wye.

Emergency services were scrambled to the ground-floor flat in Hildersley at around 9.25am yesterday.

Firefighters from Ross, Whitchurch and Fownhope wore breathing apparatus and used hose reel jets to extinguish the blaze.

A 54-year-old man was rescued by an off-duty firefighter and a member of the public and was taken to Hereford County Hospital after being given oxygen.

The rescuers, a 44-year-old man and a 38-year-old man, suffered smoke inhalation but did not attend hospital.

A fire investigation is being carried out.