Fire rages across moorland

Firefighters tackled a blaze raging across open and exposed moorland in Saddleworth.

Heavy smoke from the fire on Saddleworth Moor could be seen by motorists on the M62 motorway, but fire chiefs said no properties were at risk from the blaze, which broke out shortly before 7.20pm on Friday.

Paul Duggan, station commander with the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, said firefighters were withdrawn from the "open and exposed" moorland on Friday night because they were having "difficulties seeing what they were doing" after dark.

He said the blaze had "spread over quite an area" with "multiple seats of fire", but could not estimate the area of land affected.

The fire was first reported near Ripponden Road, in Denshaw.