'Stay away' plea as fast-moving heath fire breaks out

Firefighters were called to Holt Heath after smoke was spotted on Saturday morning

Firefighters are battling a fast-moving wildfire in Dorset, with people being urged to stay away.

The blaze at Holt Heath, north of Wimborne, broke out at about 11:10 BST, going on to produce a huge plume of smoke seen more than eight miles (13km) away.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue said firefighters from seven Dorset stations and five Hampshire stations were working hard to try to stop the flames spreading, bolstered by the wind.

The service said crews had seen people near the fire trying to film and watch them, which it said was "extremely dangerous", adding: "This fire is moving quickly and they could easily get caught out if they are too close and the fire spreads towards them."

The fire crew said the fire is moving quickly

The smoke plume from the fire seen from Tarrant Rushton Airfield about eight miles (13km) away from the fire

Firefighters are working hard to try and stop the spread of the fire, which is being accelerated by the wind

The fire service also urged people living nearby to keep their windows and doors closed.

It comes after numerous heath fires broke out in the Studland area a week ago.

Crews are still at one of those fires, believed to have been started deliberately at Newton Heath where an area about the size of 35 football pitches has been destroyed.