Crews tackle huge moorland blaze

The blaze was Northumberland's biggest moorland fire for five years

Fire crews battled a huge blaze which destroyed more than three square miles of moorland.

The fire broke out on Saturday afternoon at the Otterburn ranges, near Harbottle, Northumberland, where controlled burning was under way.

More than 40 firefighters and 35 soldiers from Otterburn were involved in tackling the blaze.

An RAF Sea King helicopter had helped extinguish the flames by Monday, but crews remained at the scene on Tuesday.

Families living in Harbottle were told to stay inside and close windows and doors as smoke billowed over the village.

A spokesman for Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service described the blaze as "the biggest moorland fire in Northumberland in the last five years".