A FIRE has burned through several hectares of crops in East Mersea as crews worked to contain the fire on several fronts.
At 3.15pm on Sunday afternoon, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service informed the public that six fire engines attended the scene on Meeting Lane, East Mersea, with the blaze spreading to across several hectares of land and into adjoining fields.
By 5.30pm, the fire was under control, although the extent of the damage is not yet known.
Crews worked alongside farmers in the area to create firebreaks in the crops to slow the spread of the fire.
A prolonged spell of dry weather, combined with the windy conditions, meant the fire spread at devastating speed.
A spokesman for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service added on Sunday evening that firefighters had managed to prevent the blaze from spreading to nearby woodland.
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