Residents' evacuation to continue

Long tailbacks developed in the area: pic Roger Hyman

Residents whose homes were evacuated after a scrapyard fire near the Glastonbury Festival will not be able to return until later on Friday.

Mendip District Council put some of the homeowners up in Pylle Village Hall.

Others stayed overnight with friends and family or were put up in bed and breakfast accomodation.

A council spokesman said: "We are contacting as many residents as possible to inform them they will not be able to return home until later."

He added: "Reports this morning from the police and fire brigade is that the A37 will remain closed for much of today (Friday).

"This means that the 200-metre police cordon, which also includes a number of homes, will remain in force until this time."

The incident on Thursday led to long delays for festival traffic.

Two people were taken to hospital with minor burns and 30 homes were evacuated after the fire broke out at Rossiters scrapyard in Pylle.

A total of 16 fire crews attended the blaze. Explosions from gas bottles on the four-acre site were audible up to half a mile away.

The fire was a mile from the festival site and one of the entrances was closed.