FIREFIGHTERS fought back flames after a fire broke in a recycling centre near Carlisle.

Crews from the city's east and west fire stations, together with a crew from Longtown and Brampton fire stations all made a b-line for the Hespin Wood Landfill Site, just to the north of Carlisle.

Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service's Penrith-based joint incident command unit was also on the scene, as was a water bowser unit.

The blaze broke out in an area that was run by recycling firm Renewi, which processes much of the area's waste on behalf of Cumbria County Council, yesterday, Friday at 5.30am.

Speaking yesterday morning a spokesman for Carlisle West Community Fire Station said: "We were there and a number of others were in attendance.

"It was a fire in the processing area which involved normal household waste but it was very deep seated and the cause is under investigation.

"We were back at the station by 9am but Carlisle east stayed on with a number of others because of deep seated embers."

At the time a spokesman for Cumbria Waste Management, which shares the site with Renewi said: "The fire is within the Renewi area, all we can say is that it is an ongoing incident which is under control."

A spokeswoman for Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, speaking after the incident, explained there were "two seats of fire" at the site, which have now both been extinguished.

"Crews are now working with the plant's site owner to extract any material that needs to be removed in order to make the scene safe."

In 2008, Cumbria County Council signed a 25 year deal with Renewi ,formerly Shanks Waste Solutions following a merger between the firm with Van Gansewinkel Group BV in 2017.

The partnership is aimed at slashing the amount of rubbish Cumbria sends to landfill.

From 2012, much of the county's waste has been sent for mechanical biological treatment at two plants - one in Barrow and the other Hespin Wood.

As well as landfill Hespin Wood is home to a wood and green waste recycling facility which processes around 70,000 tonnes per year.

Also sited at Hespin Wood is an aggregate recycling plant, where we crush, clean and sort mixed aggregates into reusable material for the construction industry.

The News & Star asked Renewi for a statement but they were unable to reply by deadline.