Amajor incident has been declared as a moorland fire now stretches for up to two miles across Dartmoor.

Devon County Council made the declaration as more than 10 fire crews are now tackling the blaze near Yelverton.

Police closed the A386 at its junction with Clearbrook after the fire broke out near the village just before 12noon.

Police have evacuated the Dartmoor Diner because of the extent of the blaze, the restaurant said.

In a social media post, Diner staff told people: ‘Do not  come to see us this afternoon. We have been evacuated by the police due to a significant fire on the moors. The road has been closed from Plessey roundabout.’

A police spokesman said the road was closed because of the amount of smoke drifting across the carriageway.

Up to 10 fire crews were sent to the scene, using hosereels and beaters to control the blaze, the spokesman said. He added there had been no reports of injuries and it was not yet clear how big the fire was.

Eye witness Jane Rogers, from Callington Road, Tavistock, took photos of the blaze from the top of a bus from Plymouth. The bus was halted by the A386 road closure before the driver received permission from the police to slowly continue its journey from Plymouth to Tavistock.

She said: ‘Smoke was billowing in and I could see all the flames from where I was. We could see the smoke from Crownhill and when we got to the Dartmoor Diner it got worse and worse.

‘I could see the fire in two places from where I was - how it started I don’t know, but it was big.’

The spokesman said it was not known how the fire started.

There is major disruption on all surrounding roads, with motorists being urged to check before they travel.