A large fire broke out at the Nuffield Industrial Estate in Poole yesterday.

Some 600 tonnes of rubbish at recycling centre W&S Recycling in Kennington Road set ablaze in the early afternoon.

Nearby businesses were evacuated and a large cordon was established.

A plume of thick, dark smoke could be seen from as far away as Corfe Castle.

Around 70 firefighters were at the scene battling the blaze. Ten engines and two water carriers were called to the site when the fire broke out shortly after noon.

No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Fire crews were initially expected to remain at the site throughout the night in case hot spots flare up and cause further ignition. However, the incident closed at 8.30pm.

It is the second large blaze at W&S Recycling in 13 months. Firefighters were called to a fire involving 300 tonnes of rubbish in April 2017.

Speaking at the scene, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) incident commander Richard Coleman, said: “It is a very large pile of mixed waste - there are mattresses, things that have come out from skips, household waste.

“The estimate is 600 tonnes, but this figure is always going to be a bit difficult to tell.

“Imagine that very large pile is burning; and although you can squirt water on it, the fire gets in and amongst it. So the only real tactic you can employ is to pick it up and break it into pieces.

“There is a giant grab being operated by the company - which is doing a brilliant job - and we’re putting out the fire in piles they are picking up, and they are dropping them somewhere else.

“We are slowly taking big bites out of it.”