Fire crews tackle woodland and heath blazes

Fire crews in the south of England have been tackling a number of wildfires over the weekend after a period of prolonged dry weather.

The first, in woodland at Yateley Heath Woods, Blackwater, broke out on Saturday at about 19:00 BST and took more than three hours to put out.

About half an hour later, crews were called to another woodland blaze at Bransgore in the New Forest which was put out late on Sunday after engulfing a hectare of heathland and woods.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service said crews also fought a gorse fire at Yateley Common on Sunday evening, with crews due back to check for hotspots.

The largest of the three fires, near Burley Road, Bransgore on the Hampshire/Dorset border was tackled by crews from both counties.

Firefighters worked through the night on Saturday with nine fire engines present at the height of the blaze, along with several land rover pumps and water carriers.

People living nearby were urged to keep their windows and doors closed due to the smoke.

The fire in Blackwater destroyed a large area of woodland in Yateley Heath Wood.

Causes for the three fires have not yet been established.

You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.