FIREFIGHTERS rushed to tackle a blaze that broke out in the back of a council bin lorry in Poole this morning.

Two crews from Poole were called out to the scene in Ringwood Road shortly after 5am.

The blaze was initially described by a Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson as involving a "large vehicle".

Crews extinguished the fire using one hose reel jet and one main line.

The fire service spokesperson said: "We were called to Ringwood Road, Poole at 5.04am this morning after a small fire broke out in the back of a refuse lorry.

"Two crews from Poole attended; the lorry driver was able to offload the contents and the fire was extinguished using one main jet and a hose reel jet.

"A thermal imaging camera was also used to ensure the fire was completely out. There was no fire spread to the lorry itself. The stop came at 5.35am."

A BCP Council spokesperson said: “This morning a fire broke out in in one of our BCP Council commercial waste vehicles.

"The vehicle driver became aware of smoke coming from the waste contained within the vehicle and was able to pull over in a safe location, call the fire brigade and eject the waste.

"We are grateful to the crew at Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service who arrived quickly and extinguished the fire.

"Council staff were then able to remove the ejected waste, sweep the area and the crew continued on their round.”