Fire crews remain at scene of recycling site blaze

Fire crews were called to the recycling centre in Basildon at about 01:15 BST

Four fire crews have remained at the scene of a large blaze at a recycling centre.

Firefighters were called to the site at Hovefields Avenue in Basildon, Essex, overnight to tackle the fire, which had spread across warehouses and 15 vehicles.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service said it expected to stay at the scene throughout the weekend and were using a digger to break up recycling material in order to fully extinguish the fire.

Station manager Nick Singleton said the incident would "continue to create a lot of smoke" and advised residents in the town to keep their windows and doors shut.

Smoke billowing from the blaze, which took hold at the centre next to the A127, also led Mr Singleton to urge motorists to "take extra care" on the road.

Crews from across the county were called to the 2,000-sq-metre (21,500-sq-ft) centre at 01:15 BST.

They worked with its owners to remove vehicles and cylinders.

The fire service said warehouses and about 15 vehicles were "fully alight"

Essex Fire and Rescue Service said the incident had been scaled back but it expected to remain at the site all weekend