Fire crews from across Cornwall have spent the entire night battling a huge gorse fire on the Lizard Peninsula that spread for a mile.

Fanned by the strong winds, the fire burned for almost ten hours.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said a 999 call first came just after 8.30pm on Sunday, over a fire that had broken out in the Zoar area.

Crews from St Keverne, Mullion and Helston fire stations were trying to beat back the flames with hosereels and beaters at that time.

A water carrier from Helston was also at the scene, along with two flexi duty officers.

A fire service spokesperson said at 10.30pm: "We are currently dealing with a gorse fire being fanned by high winds in the Zoar area.

"They are using hosereel and beaters to try to fight the fire."

An update at 11.30pm revealed that four hectares of gorse were reported to be burning on two fronts.

Five fire appliances were by now at the scene, having been joined by crews from Falmouth and Penzance.

A further update at 1.32am today showed that a 'make pumps seven' call had seen further help arrive from Hayle and Tolvaddon crews.

By 3.30am the firefighters the crews from St Ives and Falmouth remained at the scene monitoring for hotspots, while all other appliances had left scene.

However, it was not until 6.30am that all station crews had left and remaining hotspots had been fully put out.

A fire service spokesperson said: "It is believed around a mile of gorse has been effected by fire.

It followed an earlier gorse fire on Sunday at Foxhole and two similar fires on Saturday, at Redruth and Roche.

Saturday night's fire at Wheal Uny, Redruth, saw six fire engines and a water carrier called to tackle the flames.

The fire was described as having a 400m front and was close to high voltage power lines.