Thackwood Recycling Centre near Southwaite on fire for a week

The fire near Southwaite in Cumbria has been burning for a week

Firefighters have been tackling a major blaze at a recycling plant in Cumbria for the past week.

Crews were first called to Thackwood Recycling Centre, near Southwaite, on 29 December.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service said the fire involved 250 tonnes of shredded waste.

Residents have been urged keep their windows and doors shut to avoid inhaling smoke as it could take three further days to fully extinguish.

Firefighters said that by 4 January crews had dealt with about half of the fire, using two fire engines from Lazonby and Penrith.

'Not pleasant'

John Beard, chief fire officer, thanked residents for their patience and support as they work to "bring the incident to a close".

"We appreciate that smoke in the surrounding area is not pleasant, however our crews along with the site operator are doing their upmost to safely extinguish the fire as quickly as possible, whilst minimising the impact on the local community," he said.

"We anticipate that it could take a further 72 hours to extinguish the fire."

Cumbria Council's director of public health Colin Cox said the official advice calls for the closing of windows and doors as "air quality levels will be affected".

Residents who can see or smell smoke from the incident are especially encouraged to follow the advice.

He added: "Any residents with any concerns about their individual health should contact NHS 111."