Crops scorched in large field fire next to M1

The fire caused issues for traffic on the M1in Derbyshire

A field of crops was scorched in a large fire next to the M1 in Derbyshire.

Firefighters were called to a farm off Chesterfield Road in Tibshelf at 15:36 BST on Thursday.

At its height, the fire covered about 90 acres of land, with crews from Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire deployed to tackle the flames until 21:10.

A spokesperson for Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters returned to the scene on Friday morning to dampen down and check for hotspots, before leaving it in the care of the farmer.

As crews dealt with the fire on Thursday, drivers were warned of plumes of smoke affecting the M1.

People living nearby were also advised to close their windows and doors.

Amid what is forecast to be the UK's third heatwave this summer, the fire service issued a warning to residents on Thursday.

The fire service said if you spot an uncontrolled fire or large volumes of smoke in the open countryside, call 999 and give as much detail about the location as possible.

They also urged people not to discard cigarettes out of car windows, leave glass bottles lying around in the sun, or to take portable barbecues or gas stoves to the countryside or moorland.

Firefighters worked to tackle the flames for several hours