BUSINESS owners in a Weymouth shopping precinct have expressed their appreciation for Dorset fire crews after a late night blaze on the street was put out in the early hours of the morning.

The fire brigade was called to Gordon Row in Chapelhay at 1.12am on Friday and a crew was mobilised to the fire, which was ablaze in the gated yard behind a newly opened specialist store selling a variety of smoking accessories.

A Dorset Fire spokesperson said: "A large quantity of stored rubbish was alight when we got to the scene and one hose reel jet was used to extinguish it."

Staff from the store said they had called the emergency services after a fire started accidentally whilst they were putting cardboard boxes out in the back yard following a delivery of stock.

They had attempted to put out the blaze themselves using buckets of water until the fire crew arrived and extinguished it.

Shop owner Martin said that no one had been hurt and no damage had been caused other than to their cable providing Sky television, which had partially melted.

He added: "Thank you to the fire crew for coming out and making sure we were safe and the neighbourhood was safe."

Ian Spracklen, who runs A&I Quality Meats next door, said: "We appreciate the fire service coming up.

"They are obviously very efficient.

"It is a good job they did come out because it could obviously have been a lot worse."

Other shop owners in the street have expressed their concerns regarding fire safety in the back yards of the street's establishments.

They said that rubbish was often kept in the yards, which could cause a fire if a stray cigarette was thrown over the gate from the street behind.

Pamela Fry, of The Lantern charity shop, said: "You have got families in those flats above and that is what would worry us.

"Smoke could quite easily seep through into their sitting rooms and kitchens."

A Dorset Police spokesperson said they had been informed of the incident, but had not been asked to investigate further.