A FIRE, 'believed to be started by teenagers', was put out by firefighters at one of Portland's most historic monuments.

The fire was started yesterday afternoon at the Grade II listed Verne High Angle Battery - known locally as the 'ghost tunnels'. Portland Fire Station was notified of the incident by police at around 4pm.

The fire service has said that the fire is believed to have been started by a group of teenagers.

The attending crew extinguished the fire using an aquapac and investigated the other tunnels to ensure they were safe.

The battery was built in the 1890s to defend Portland Harbour from enemy ships. It was originally designed for the use of large rifle-muzzle loading (RML) guns, which could fire high to drop onto the decks of enemy ships.

A spokesman for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Just after 4pm Fire Control received a call from the Police to reports of a fire in a tunnel at Ghost Tunnels, Portland, believed to be started by teenagers.

"Crew extinguished the fire using an aquapac, and investigated the other tunnels to ensure they were safe."

More to follow.