Firefighters battle 20 tonne scrap metal blaze

Firefighters were called to an Essex scrapyard blaze this afternoon after a huge pile of metal caught fire.

Essex fire crews were called at 12.27pm today to a fire in Slough Lane, Ardleigh, where approximately 20 tonnes of scrap metal was alight.

The first crew to arrive requested support to help extinguish the blaze and two more engines were called to the scene.

Diggers at the site were used to help break up the scrap metal and the fire was eventually extinguished over an hour later at 1.42pm.

The cause of the fire was recorded as accidental.