Hot weather linked to 20-acre grassland blaze

The heat was a factor in a 20-acre grassland fire in Worcestershire, the fire service has said.

Five fire engines were called to the Astley area near Stourport-on-Severn at about 17:30 BST on Wednesday and the blaze was extinguished within a few hours.

On Wednesday, the fire service asked people to avoid the location and keep roads clear for emergency vehicles. It added smoke may affect nearby communities, with members of the public asked to keep windows closed.

Firefighters remained at the scene on Thursday morning and were continuing to inspect the area to ensure it was safe. No casualties were reported.

Red heat health alerts issued by the UK Health Security Agency for regions including the West Midlands remain in place on Thursday.

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