A large scrubland fire which raged on into the night has claimed a hectare of land.

Forty firefighters tackled the blaze which engulfed a strip roughly equivalent to the size of a football field next to the River Darent, near Dartford.

Six fire engines from different stations were at the scene in Ray Lamb Way, Erith, from around 9pm last night.

Crews worked to bring the blaze under control which lasted more than three hours.

In total, a hectare of land was destroyed by the fire. There were no reports of any injuries.

A local resident, who did not wish to be named, said: "I just saw black smoke from my window and walked down to the road to the marshes to see what was going on.

"Fire engines were stopping us getting too far.

She added: "At about 10.30pm a fire engine pulled up outside my house and they were pumping water down to the marshes from the hydrant outside my neighbours' house."

Station Commander James Cartwright, who was at the scene, said: "The warmer weather we have been having makes the ground extremely dry, which unfortunately means grassland and parks will burn quickly when exposed to even the smallest of sparks.

“If you see a grass fire, don't attempt to put it out yourself as grass fires can travel very quickly and change direction without warning.

"Call the Brigade and let us know where the fire is."

The section of Ray Lamb Way which curves round onto Wallhouse Road is often plagued by fly-tipping which has been known to cause drainage issues for nearby businesses.

Following the latest incident, fire crews have issued guidance to the public on grass fires.

They advise to avoid having barbecues in parks, public spaces and balconies and to clear away bottles, glasses and any broken glass to avoid them magnifying the sun and starting a fire.

If having barbecues they should never be left unattended and you should extinguish them properly once finished.

Disposable versions that have been discarded and abandoned can still end up causing a fire as they will continue to retain heat after use and need to be put out and cooled before being thrown.

Cigarettes and other smoking materials should be disposed of safely and motorists are asked to avoid throwing them out of car windows into dry grass.

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