Crews tackle huge scrub fire

The fire was spotted near Dunstanburgh Castle

Firefighters are spending a second night tackling a scrubland fire in Northumberland.

Crews are using sea water to fight the fire on about 25 acres of gorse and scrubland close to Dunstanburgh Castle.

The fire, which emergency crews think may have been started by a discarded cigarette, was spotted in steep crags, west of the castle.

A spokesman for the Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service said support from neighbouring brigades would have to be drafted in to relieve crews who had worked overnight.

The spokesman said: "At the moment we do not know exactly how the fire started.

"It is possible visitors may have dropped a cigarette and with the weather they way it has been lately it has spread quickly.

"We have 45 firefighters in site at the moment, with five appliances as well as portable pumps and lighting equipment.

"We have fairly steep crags here and it proving difficult under foot.

Network of hoses

"We are having to use seawater, but it looks like it could be a protracted incident.

"We don't expect to be able to say the fires are out until the end of Tuesday."

A number of pumps are being used to get water through a network of hoses to where the fires are still burning.

The spokesman added: "We have contingencies in place and we are working to relieve crews every four to six hours with help from neighbouring brigades."