Crews fight large fire at waste management plant

West Midlands Fire Service was called to the fire shortly after 13:00 GMT

Fire crews have been sent to the scene of a "severe" blaze at a recycling plant in Aldridge, Walsall.

West Midlands Fire Service said up to 60 firefighters attended the incident on Saturday at Biffa Waste Management on Westgate.

The fire service, which said everyone at the site was accounted for, urged members of the public to avoid the area and keep windows and doors shut.

It stated the blaze appeared to have begun "in a recycling compactor with an unknown quantity of waste alight", which had generated a lot of smoke in the area.

Fire crews were called to the scene at 13:12 GMT.

The facility there deals with household, industrial and commercial waste.

West Midlands Fire Service used a drone to monitor hotspots

Ten fire engines, a hydraulic platform and a drone were deployed.

The drone was used to reveal hotspots to allow firefighters to identify where to concentrate their efforts.

This photo taken from a nearby housing estate shows the extent of the smoke

Local resident Liam Edwards saw smoke billowing from the waste management facility shortly after 14:00 GMT