Fire crews from across the North East tackle an allotment blaze in Southwick

Fire crews from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) received the call at around 12pm and initially dispatched three crews, two from Sunderland Central and one Marley Park, to the scene.

As the situation developed, further fire crews from South Shields, Hebburn and Gateshead arrived to help bring the blaze under control.

At first, it was understood that the fire service believed it to have been a pigeon cree however it was later discovered to be in the allotments.

One of the affected allotments is owned by the uncle of 18-year-old Dylan Daymond, who was at the scene watching fire crews work.

He said: “We’ve just heard there is a fire. Obviously we can’t get in to see what’s happened and we don’t know if much has been damaged.”

A firefighter from TWFRS told the Echo at the scene that some mixed rubbish had caught fire and that there were concerns over some cylinders within the allotment site.

Crews were withdrawn from the blaze for a short time while they assessed the risk.

Once satisfied that the cylinders posed no risk to anyone, work commenced as firefighters headed back to the site of the blaze.

A spokesperson for TWFRS said: “We currently have crews from Sunderland Central, Marley Park, South Shields, Hebburn and Gateshead at a fire at allotments at an allotment site, at Southwick Road and Keir Hardie Way.

“Crews arrived at 12:05 and the incident is currently ongoing. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus are using a hose reel and main jet to extinguish the blaze.

"There does appear to be a lot of smoke in the area. We originally thought pigeon crees were involved but this is not the case.

"We would advise local residents to try and keep their windows and doors closed."

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

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