A fire which damaged about 80 hectares of heathland on Exmoor is thought to have been started deliberately.

Fire appliances from Dulverton and South Molton attended reports of a gorse fire at 2.10pm and when crews arrived on scene they found a fire front approximately a mile long. Crews requested assistance from a further appliance and got to work with beaters.

The next fire appliance on scene was from Porlock. Crews then requested the groundhog (all terrain vehicle) and the brendon pump from Porlock and the second groundhog from Nether Stowey. A supporting appliance from Bampton and the incident command unit from Wiveliscombe were also mobilised.

Crews used the 4x4 vehicles with jets and beaters to attempt to put the fire out. A strong breeze was fanning the fire and making it difficult to extinguish.

By 5.45pm crews had reduced the fire front to 150 metres and they finished dealing with the fire at 6.12pm.