A DISCARDED battery could have caused a fire in a refuse truck.

Now the public has been urged to dispose of batteries safely to avoid similar incidents.

A spokesman for Dorset Council Waste Services said: "One of our vehicle's loads started smouldering and smoking.

"Our driver emptied the vehicle in a nearby car-park and our friends at DWFireRescue put the fire out.

"This quick action saved our vehicle and once we had cleared all the mess there was no damage to the car park. This was a close shave.

"DWFireRescue did not find the cause of the fire, but suggested it could be a lithium battery or something similar."

Members of the public have been urged not to put batteries in rubbish or recycling bins but to put them in a battery bag or take them to a battery recycling bank. Most supermarkets have recycling banks.