Crews tackle three field fires within 24 hours

Firefighters crews have been called to three field fires in Kent within 24 hours.

Ten fire crews extinguished a major fire on North Farm Lane, Tunbridge Wells, which was reported at about 17:20 BST on Friday, and they returned to check for hotspots at 06:30 on Saturday, Kent Fire & Rescue Service (KFRS) said.

The other two incidents were a grass fire on the M20 between Maidstone and Ashford, as well as a fire in a field at Knowle Road near Rochester which was thought to have been caused by an electrical fault, KFRS said.

It comes as the UK Government issued a phone alert warning over high risk of wildfires nationally on Friday.

It advised residents, landowners and visitors not to undertake any activity that could potentially start a fire.

This includes disposable barbecues, firepits, garden incinerators or fireworks.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called the UK a "tinderbox" as fire service across the country has recorded more than 960 wildfires this year, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council.

In the South East, there has been numerous incidents of wildfires including Ashdown Forest, the inspiration for the Winnie-the-Pooh stories.

A wildfire also broke out in Abbot's Wood, near Polegate, and firefighters believed it was caused by books deliberately set alight.

An area of about 600m by 200m (1,968ft by 656ft) of gorse and trees was alight.

There has been numerous incidents on the South Downs, including near Eastbourne and at Devil's Dyke.

In Surrey, about 1.8 hectares of land at Chobham Common were left "crispy and burnt" by wildfire.

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