Firefighters on callout find Somerset route blocked by flytipping

The crew found their route blocked by "reckless fly tipping" while on their way to a callout

Firefighters on a callout to an incident had to stop and clear "reckless flytipping" blocking a road.

Crew members from Hicks Gate Fire Station were delayed by the rubbish left on Highwall Lane in Publow, which is a narrow, single-track country road.

They were responding to reports of a grass fire off Queen Charlton Lane in Whitchurch at 17:07 BST on Wednesday.

The crew said it was "impossible" for them to turn their fire engine around and find an alternative route.

Reversing back down the long narrow road was not an option either, so firefighters had to remove the rubbish by hand, the fire service said.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service said when crews arrived at Queen Charlton Lane in Whitchurch, there was no presence of fire.

"The crew proceeded to fully investigate the area to make sure it was safe," a spokesperson added.