A HUGE tyre blaze sent plumes of smoke hundreds of feet into the sky over the New Forest yesterday.

At its height the inferno could be seen from ten miles.

It broke out mid-morning in a pile of about 2,000 tyres at a garage.

At one stage there were fears that there were explosive acetylene cylinders on the site.

Another potential hazard, a container holding around 5,000 litres of waste oil, was initially involved and the nearby A338 was closed for a time.

It became apparent at an early stage that the fire in the tyres could be contained.

Firefighters from Hampshire and Dorset battled for over two hours at Wells Garage, Ringwood.

Five tenders from Hampshire attended and one from Verwood as well as a water carrier from Fordingbridge and the special equipment unit from St Mary's in Southampton. Around 40 firefighters - mostly retained - tackled the blaze using special high volume monitors designed to deliver masses of water from a safe distance.

The also used thermal imaging equipment to make sure there were no hidden pockets of fire.

Sgt Tim Adams of Hampshire police, based at Ringwood, said the fire had spread from a nearby bonfire.

It was quite spectacular but no-one was hurt.

There was no evacuation but nearby residents were advised to keep doors and windows shut to keep out the fumes.

Fortunately the prevailing wind was taking them away from the premises.

The garage owners and officials from the Environment Agency and Wessex Water were also at the scene.

It's also believed that run-offs of oil into the water courses - including the nearby river Avon - were thought to have been prevented.