FIRE crews have been tackling a blaze which has affected around 9,000 square metres of undergrowth alongside the North York Moor Railway.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue teams from Pickering and Kirbymoorside were called to a line-side fire near Lewisham Station at around 2.40pm on Saturday.

On arrival they called for assistance from Whitby and Malton crews for manpower and water, and crews used two jets, one hose-reel and four backpack sprayers.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said good progress had been made dampening down the hotspots.