FIRE crews were called to a large refuse fire at the recycling centre in Tavistock on Sunday morning.

Two crews from Tavistock attended the centre in Crowndale Road at 7.20am, where they found a large amount of refuse on fire in an open fronted building.

Thirty tonnes of refuse were involved in the blaze and the building suffered fire and smoke damage to the roof.

The crews requested the attendance of the water bowser from Plympton and a third pumping appliance from Yelverton.

A total of eight breathing apparatus, two jets, two hose reels, a light portable pump, drag forks, a mechanical digger and a thermal imaging camera were used to tackle the blaze which was put out just before noon. The cause of the fire is thought to be accidental.