MORE than a dozen fire crews are tackling a large blaze at a tyre recycling plant near Selby.

A total of 14 crews from across North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire are now in attendance at the plant, in Sherburn-in-Elmet, following a call at about 8.40am.

A Fire Service spokesman originally said the blaze was made up of about 200 tonnes of tyres, but in the last few minutes said the fire had now spread to about 1,000 tonnes of tyres.

A spokeswoman for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service said they were called to the scene at about 9.50am, but no one had been taken to hospital.

She said a clinical supervisor and a Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) officer had been sent to the scene, as a precautionary measure.

Joanne Ellerton, near the scene, said: "You cannot see across the road because of the thick smoke, and four or five fire engines from different areas have just gone past."

Mr Jones said: "It's right on the Gascgoine Wood site, where the old coal mine was.

"There's a huge pile of tyres and black smoke rising, covering miles and miles. I have seen a few fires in my time, but never seen anything like this."

One man, who did not wish to be named, saw the smoke from the fire while driving on the M62.

He said: "It's colouring the sky black.

"It's just really thick black smoke, I reckon it's going up for about a mile or so, I would be surprised if you couldn't see it from York."

Residents have been advised to stay inside if possible, and keep their doors and windows closed until the fire has been put out.