Fire crews in Tyne and Wear called 120 times in two hours on UK's hottest night on record

Firefighters across Tyne and Wear were called 120 times in just two hours on the UK's hottest night on record.

The Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said it was "very busy" on Monday 18 July, with crews tackling a number of incidents including a large grass fire in Scotswood, Newcastle.

Due to the high number of calls, the service had to prioritise incidents where there was an immediate risk to public safety.

They are urging the public not to light fires in the current extreme heat, as flames can spread quickly and put lives at risk.

The grass fire in Scotswood was brought under control with the use of six appliances and no-one was injured.

Pictures show crews hosing down the grass, which had been blackened and scorched by the flames.

There were also several small fires which posed a low risk to the public but had been exacerbated by the hot weather.

Other call-outs included a fire on some rail tracks in Birtley and another grass fire at the Beacon of Light, in Sunderland.

Bosses praised the response of staff, particularly those tackling fires in full kit in soaring temperatures.

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