AN area of grassland went up in flames in Christchurch this afternoon.

Fire crews were deployed to the area near Dudmoor Farm Road at 2.15pm, where they found approximately 20 x 30 metres of grassland alight.

A spokesperson for Dorset Fire Control said: “Crews arrived on the scene within four minutes and began to extinguish the fire using two hose reel jets.”

The blaze also damaged 18 fruit trees before it was brought under control by the firefighters at around 2.40pm.

It is thought the fire was caused by an unattended controlled burn which spread to the nearby grassland.