FIRE raged across more than than ten square miles of Darwen moors over the weekend.

Fire crews were called to a blaze which initially covered just under two miles of moorland off the A675, Belmont Road around 7.30pm on Friday.

But flames soon spread and seven crews as well as a control unit were called to the scene.

Crews finally finished damping down at 12.30pm yesterday but one crew stayed to keep watch in case fire flared up again.

As the blaze took hold on Friday the the A675 towards Bolton and Tockholes was closed for almost three hours from 8.45pm as the fire spread between Abbey Village and Great Hill heading towards Belmont.

Fire engines were left parked in Belmont Road as firefighters undertook the 30-minute journey walk up the moors to the scene of the fire.

As hoses could not stretch up to the moors crews were armed with beaters. Firefighter Stu Robinson said: "The fire was on the fringes and in pockets. The whole of the moors is like a tinderbox.

"We have had no April showers so it's very dry up there and there's potential for it to flare up again. What the effect on wildlife will be I don't know."

The fire comes just ten days after the last fire on near the reservoir close to Darwen Tower, when Tockholes was smoke-logged.

Firefighter Robinson said it was unlikely the cause of either blaze would be determined.