FIRE crews continued to battle blazing tyres at a North Yorkshire recycling plant today. (Friday). 

The inferno, at Newgen Tyre Recycling Plant, Sherburn-In-Elmet, near Selby, started yesterday and has consumed up to 15,000 tonnes of tyres.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said they are allowing the fire to burn out under supervision, and said it was “considerably smaller than it was yesterday, but access to it is very difficult.”

Crews are working to prevent it spreading any further.

A joint statement from North Yorkshire Fire Service, North Yorkshire Police, Public Health England and the Environment Agency said "the risk to the public remains low" from the fire, and nobody had been taken to hospital suffering from symptoms caused by the blaze.

A North Yorkshire Fire Service spokesman said high volume pumps had been used to draw water from a pond around the edge of the site, and created a series of "water curtains" to protect the main building on the site.

The spokesman said the fire is expected to continue for several days and possibly weeks.

Residents are advised to remain indoors with windows and doors closed to avoid exposure to the smoke.