THE fire service control room has revealed it received 78 calls on 999 reporting a fire on Canford Heath on Saturday evening.

Concerns residents, many of whom would have witnessed the huge wildfire three weeks ago, reported seeing smoke rising from the heathland shortly before 7pm.

The first call was received at 6.47pm on May 14 from a passing motorist on the Dorset Way.

Over the next half an hour scores more calls were received to alert Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service to the incident.

Two fire engines, a 4x4 off road car and a water carrier from Poole Fire Station attended, with wholetime and oncall firefighters. They were supported by the specialist unimog vehicle from Wareham Fire Station.

A fire service spokesperson said: "Our firefighters found an area of heath well alight when they arrived.

"The fire was approximately 20 metres by 10 metres and was extinguished using two hose reels."