East Tilbury fire causes Coalhouse Fort, church and 20 homes to be evacuated in Essex

Twenty homes were evacuated and a church were evacuated because of a field fire as firefighters beat back the flames at the culmination of the UK's heatwave.

Firefighters also stopped the blaze in East Tilbury in Essex from spreading to the visitor centre at the Coalhouse Fort nature reserve.

Crews were called to land near Princess Margaret Road at 10.54am on Sunday to reports of a large field fire. The fire damaged eight hectares of land but was put out at 2.43pm.

Group manager Marc Diggory said: “The fire started in the nature reserve next to the sea wall and was rapidly spreading. Police worked with us to evacuate 20 homes, the visitor centre at Coalhouse Fort, St Catherine’s Church and the car park as a precaution.

"We had our resources in place quickly which meant we could contain it and stop it from spreading further. 

“The firefighters worked so hard and were supported by the park rangers and local farmers who helped create fire breaks and tracks for us to access the fire. Police and ambulance were on scene with police co-ordinating the evacuation. It was a real team effort.”

The cause of the fire is still unknown, said the service.

Crews were due to remain on site into Sunday evening to monitor hotspots.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know