FIREFIGHTERS from across Worcestershire and Herefordshire battled throughout the weekend to contain a blaze at cider-making giant HP Bulmer.

More than 30 firefighters were on scene at the height of the blaze in an apple pulp shed at the plant in Hereford's Plough Lane.

They first received a call to the scene at 10.58am on Saturday to reports of an "unknown aroma" coming from the building.

Two fire crews from Hereford were initially sent to the scene and eventually called for back-up.

Crews from Fownhope, Ewyas Harold, Ledbury, the water carrier from Hereford, the line rescue team from Malvern and a specialist unit from Droitwich were all called out to help.

The fire involved a two-hectare area of the building containing 600 tonnes of apple pulp - or pomace - which was well alight.

Firefighters worked throughout Saturday and Sunday and through the night to contain the fire.

A contractor was brought in to remove the burnt material from the building and fire crews eventually left the premises at about 7am today.

"There was nobody involved and no threat to production so it's business as usual," said David Jones, spokesman for Scottish Courage, which took over Bulmers in March 2003.

The fire follows a four-hour blaze in a drier at the plant in October last year, which involved six tonnes of pomace catching light.