Firefighters tackle 2km-long moorland blaze near Ripponden

Firefighters are tackling a 2km (1.2 mile) long moorland blaze in West Yorkshire.

The blaze broke out near Oldham Road in Ripponden at about 12:15 BST, West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (WYFRS) said.

The cause of the blaze is not currently known and smoke has been seen billowing across the M62.

A WYFRS spokesperson said 18 crews were at the scene to tackle the fire, which at 16:30 GMT was “approximately 1km x 2km and still spreading”.

They added that there were no reports of any people involved.

National Highways said the A672 north Oldham Road heading towards Rishworth had been closed due to the fire, but the M62 remained open.

The public have been asked to avoid the area.

The fire is the latest in a series of moorland blazes in West Yorkshire in recent weeks.

Earlier, the Met Office confirmed Thursday was the warmest start to May on record, with temperatures reaching 28C in London.