Essex firefighters were called to a large fire yesterday in a woodland area off a residential road in Colchester.

East Anglian Daily Times: The fire could be seen from the nearby Greenstead slopes. Picture: CHARLES RICKWOODThe fire could be seen from the nearby Greenstead slopes. Picture: CHARLES RICKWOOD (Image: Archant)

Three crews were called to the incident in Harwich Road at 3.20pm on Tuesday May 12, two from Colchester and one from Wivenhoe.

They found an area of woodland on fire measuring 10 metres by 10 metres – including a three-metre high log pile.

Onlookers from the nearby Greenstead slopes saw plumes of smoke high in the air and flames reaching up to the height of the nearby houses.

Firefighters remained at the scene until 5.27pm and the cause of the blaze has been now recorded as accidental.