Walkers told stub out cigarettes as two more fires sparked

Photo: Paul Black

Moorland fire

Walkers are being urged to dispose of cigarettes properly when visiting the countryside after two more fires yesterday afternoon.

A total of 14 firefighters from Oldham, Rochdale and Heywood spent three hours tackling a large blaze on Crompton Moor.

Officers were called out about 1.30pm to Rochdale Road, near the Clough Manor Hotel, where the blaze started and then spread in the direction of Crompton Moor.

Crew manager Gaz Park, from Oldham Fire Station, said: "The fire which originally measured 400 metres square but then affected a square mile of moorland because of the dry and windy weather conditions.

"Officers spent three hours in targeted groups beating the fire down."

There were no injuries and the fire did not affect any property.

Just an hour earlier, the hard working firefighters had extinguished a grass fire in Delph affecting two fields off Friarmere Road.

Crew manager Park added: "Its difficult to give an exact cause of both incidents but I would like to remind residents to properly dispose of their smoking materials and take care when discarding them, especially when out walking."