Fire hits Wensleydale cheese site

The fire did not affect the site's popular visitor centre

A major fire has disrupted production at the Wensleydale cheese factory in the Yorkshire Dales.

The blaze caused extensive smoke damage in the cheese blending area at the Wensleydale Creamery in Hawes, North Yorkshire, early on Sunday morning.

Normal Sunday production has been stopped and workers were told to stay away as managers assessed the damage.

The popular visitor centre remained open for business and full production is expected to resume on Monday.

Structural damage

More than 30 firefighters were called out to tackle the blaze which took about five hours to bring under control.

Managing director David Hartley said: "The fire has caused structural damage to the building and smoke damage to machinery.

"However, the blending area, where we mix the cheese with other ingredents like cranberries, is separate to the cheese-making facility so production will start again very quickly."

He said the fire was believed to have been caused by an electrical fault which had led to a wax tank overheating.