Huge fire at food packaging plant

Nobody was injured in the fire at an industrial site

Up to 120 firefighters have spent the night dealing with a major fire at a factory in northwest Hampshire.

Crews were called to Randall Parker Foods near Andover shortly before midnight on Wednesday.

The presence of gas cylinders and a diesel tank on the site at Tilly Down at Appleshaw made the operation more complicated, the fire service said.

Ten fire engines from Hampshire and Wiltshire have attended the plant, which makes food packaging.

Nobody hurt

Area manager Andy Bowers, Hampshire Fire and rescue Service's officer in charge, said: "Staff were present in the property when the fire broke out but all were evacuated and have been accounted for.

"We will be investigating the cause of the fire but do not believe it to have been deliberately set.

"The fire has affected an area of building covering 135 metres by 65 metres with 50% of the building affected."

He said some crews remain at the scene and relief crews would be taking over later in the morning.

Two aerial ladder platforms and six water carriers were also deployed to the tackle the fire.

Crews from Andover, Whitchurch, Basingstoke, Ludgershall, Amesbury, Stockbridge, Romsey, Sutton Scotney and Eastleigh Fire stations attended.