FIREFIGHTERS were called to a salt depot this morning after a JCB overheated and caught fire.

The JCB had been working through the night reloading salt trucks at a salt storage facility used by Durham County Council near St John’s Chapel in Upper Weardale.

The remote area has received heavy snowfall over the last few days.

Unfortunately, the strain was too much for the machine and it overheated and burst into flames at about 9am.

Thankfully, no-one was injured during the incident.

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) was alerted to what had happened at 9.05am.

A crew from Stanhope was despatched and arrived at the scene at 9.15am to find the JCB well alight.

The firefighters used a hose reel to put out the fire.

This afternoon, CDDFRS tweeted a photograph of firefighters at the scene with the JCB. In the caption they used the hashtag #EverydayHeroes.