A SELBY man suffered from smoke inhalation and his bedroom was badly damaged after an air conditioning unit caught fire last night.

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service said firefighters were called to the bedroom fire at Portholme Villas, Selby, at 11pm.

"Upon arrival, all people were out of the property but the male occupier had tried to extinguish the fire before the fire service arrived, causing him to suffer from smoke inhalation," said a spokeswoman.

"Fire crews administered oxygen to him until the arrival of the paramedics. He did not go to hospital."

She said the air conditioning unit was destroyed and there was smoke damage to the first floor, adding:"There were no smoke detectors fitted upstairs, so crews fitted one."

The fire is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault in the air conditioning unit.