More than 400 people have been evacuated from their homes after a huge blaze at a plastics factory in Devon.

Clouds of smoke and toxic fumes from the fire at the Wilton Bradley plastic factory on an industrial estate in Paignton drifted into residential areas.

Twelve fire crews helped to control the blaze after a night duty supervisor raised the alarm at 2300GMT on Thursday.

Eight staff were still at the site but all were evacuated safely.

Devon and Cornwall police decided to evacuate people from the nearby Kingsway Estate.

A police spokesman said that about 400 residents were being cared for at the Torbay Leisure Centre and a number of roads in the area remain closed to traffic.

He said medics treated 10 people for breathing problems at the centre and three were taken to Torbay hospital, but they were not seriously affected.

"Residents who have not been evacuated should keep their windows closed and not go outside," he added.

He said that a local school and Paignton Community College would not open on Friday morning.

The operation to make the area safe could take all of Friday.

The cause of the fire is not yet known and an investigation has been launched.