Fire crews spent Friday night tackling a large blaze in a fibreglass boat which left a pall of foul black smoke hanging over Penryn.

Residents were warned to keep windows and doors shut, and parts of Kernick Road were closed, after the boat hull caught fire at the site of the old Cygnus boat mould workshop on Jennings Road, behind the Asda store, at around 7pm.

Fire crews from Falmouth, Truro, Tolvaddon and a water carrier from Helston were sent to fight the fire, which police said had transferred to a pile of tyres, and Falmouth firefighters remained on scene damping down until the following morning.

Ilka Proszynska, who runs Kitty Gubbins vintage clothing from a unit on nearby Kernick industrial estate, wrote on Facebook: "Well that certainly woke me up. Just behind my unit," and reported lots of "very smelly" smoke.

Police were on the scene and closed Kernick Road from Penryn Athletic Football Club to Asda roundabout to protect the public from smoke inhalation.

A spokesperson for Asda said: "The fire didn't affect the store," and there was "no evacuation and no damage."

The only disruption, they said, was during a few minutes when the car park was closed to allow fire engines to move into position.

A police spokesperson said that there was "potential for arson," and enquiries are ongoing.