About five hectares of a cornfield and around 50 hay bales caught fire in a village on the outskirts of Bournemouth this afternoon (Thursday).

The field on Sturt Lane in Throop was reported to the fire service at 3.46pm.

Four fire crews were mobilised from Springbourne, Poole and Hamworthy together with the water carrier from Poole.

Dozens of the hay bales were alight. A resident said that he had seen just a couple of bales burning, initially, before the fire spread across the field "in seconds".

There are reports of smoke blowing across Throop water meadows.

A spokesperson for fire service said at 5pm: ""We received a call at 3.46pm this afternoon about a field fire on Sturt Lane, Bournemouth. Crews from Springbourne, Poole (x2) and Hamworthy are currently in attendance as well as a water carrier from Poole.

"A large area (approximately 5 hectares) of cornfield is well alight and 50 bales of hay. Hose reel jets, beaters and main lines are in use and the fire has now been surrounded.

"The incident is ongoing so that’s all we have at the moment."

A witness on the scene said at 5.30pm that the fire has been brought under control and that crews are still dampening down hotspots.