Cliff fire breaks out near Bournemouth Air Festival

Bournemouth Air Festival organisers urged people to avoid the area

Annabel Pidgley Bournemouth Undercliff fire — Bournemouth Air Festival organisers urged people to avoid the area

Visitors to an air festival were greeted by the additional spectacle of a large fire on top of a nearby cliff.

Firefighters tackled the blaze which broke out on the Undercliff at Bournemouth, near the East Cliff lift.

Bournemouth Air Festival organisers urged people to avoid the area, where heathland and trees were alight.

Dorset Fire & Rescue Service was called at about 17:45 BST and sent five fire engines and a water carrier to the scene.

The fire was put out shortly before 19:30, organisers said.

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read

Twitter’s cookie policy

and

before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

It is the first day of the four-day air festival, which has been running since 2008.

The 2019 event's schedule includes a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, the RN Black Cat Helicopter Display Team, the Tigers Freefall Parachute Display Team, and night air displays.

Firefighters tackled the blaze which broke out on the Undercliff at Bournemouth

@DazzaOnDrums Fire on the Undercliff, Bournemouth — Firefighters tackled the blaze which broke out on the Undercliff at Bournemouth

Displays are due to take place along the Bournemouth coastline for four days

PA Media The Strikemaster pair perform for the crowds on day one of the Bournemouth Air Festival — Displays are due to take place along the Bournemouth coastline for four days