FIREFIGHTERS have tackled a brushfire at a Worcestershire beauty spot.

Crews from across the county were called to a blaze on Hartlebury Common, which has been dried out by a lack of rainfall in recent weeks.

The fire raged throughout the night after the first call came in from worried residents a mile away at Wilden Top, Stourport at about 5.55pm, yesterday.

Thirty calls followed throughout the night as the fire spread through trees, scrub and grassland, not helped by the dry conditions and the blustery winds.

Dry grass, and the under-lying dead bracken combined to create a tinderbox with fire crews describing how “the ground was hot to walk on” and the grassy tumps were “glowing red hot”.

Firefighters had to haul long lengths of heavy water hose from the hydrants at the base of the hill upwards to get aroudn the blaze.

The water supply problems were overcome with a water carrier appliance from Leominster, but one of the road water mains is thought to have collapsed under the strain of use.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service deployed all-terrain eight-wheeled argocats and also the Pinzgauer off-road vehicles to get around the fire, using the common’s natural footpaths as fire-breaks.

The cause of the blaze is not yet known.

Incident watch commander Simon Cusack, of Kidderminster Fire Station, was coordinating efforts overnight, after taking over from day crews who initially responded.

Crew commander Tony Wilks, of Kidderminster's red watch, said: “The ground was absolutely red hot and when we put water on it, it was almost exploding - it was a strange thing to see.

“The tumps of grass were glowing red hot as well.

“The ground has been so dry, and with all the years of dead undergrowth underneath it was just like sawdust and once the fire got into the bracken and gorse it just went up.

“The hardest thing was dragging the hose from the hydrant near the Bay Horse Inn, up the hill and we were breathing in the smoke - it was hard going.”

Station Commander Chris George-Burnell, from Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, said: “With the gusty wind conditions and flames up to 35 metres high at times, crews had to work really hard to surround this fire and bring it under control.”

The fire was eventually stopped at the common’s Hartlebury Road car park, and crews are currently damping down.

About 2,000 square metres of common have been torched by the fire.