FIREFIGHTERS have tackled a blaze that burnt its way through a small scrapyard area off a residential street.

Huge plumes of black smoke could be seen billowing from the site that went up in flames shortly before 4pm on Sunday afternoon.

Four Cleveland Fire Brigade engines responded to the incident at the scene of the blaze at the end of Meadowdale Close, in Port Clarence, Billingham.

Witnesses have reported that "two gas bottles exploded".

The area behind the scrapyard is a playing field and no houses are thought to have been damaged by the fire.

No one was injured.