FIREFIGHTERS are urging the public to be on the watch after a busy night tackling grass fires.

Crews from Darwen Fire Station were called out to two large fires, which each stretched out for around half-a-mile.

One fire had spread across 700 square metres of moorland just above the Delph Reservoir at Wandsworth Road, Belmont, at 6.20pm on Sunday night.

At 9.55pm, two crews attended a fire covering 800 square metres of woodland above Sunnyhurst Wood on land between Earnsdale Reservoir and Sunnyhurst reservoir.

During the night they were also called to two small grass fires at Anyon Street, Darwen.

Crew manager Steven Gregory said: "Because it is very dry at the moment the potential for grass fires is increased and even small fires will spread far.

"We ask the public to be on the look-out and to take care when discarding cigarettes near grassland."