Firefighters have issued an urgent warning for people to be responsible during the hot weather after a huge blaze ripped through a Gateshead nature reserve.
Videos and photos captured by ChronicleLive show the devastating aftermath of the fire which broke out at Ryton Willows Nature Reserve at around 3pm on Wednesday. Scorched land and blackened trees are all that remain at the site after firefighters spent more than 20 hours tackling the massive grass fire, before managing to bring it under control by around 6.20am.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed they will never know what caused the fire as a result of its large scale, with the blaze spreading over 3.5km and putting nearby properties at risk. However, as temperatures continue to soar across the North East, fire bosses have called on the public to behave responsibly to reduce the risk of further fires starting.
