About 50 firefighters are battling a blaze on Ministry of Defence land near Colchester.

The Middlewick Ranges on Mersea Road is also used by local people. It is home to nightingales and other wildlife.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service has asked the public to avoid the area so crews can park fire engines near hydrants.

At 11:45 BST, a spokesperson said the blaze was “surrounded”, adding: “Firefighters are working well extinguishing the fire.”

Mike Lilley, a Labour city councillor, said: “Residents are getting hoses and buckets of sand ready to protect our homes.”

A bird's eye drone view of fields, trees and houses. In the background white smoke billows into the sky. The sky is blue.

The white smoke has been seen from several miles away around the city [Liam Winters]

A red and yellow fire engine is parked up on a dirt track, with dry brown grass either side. In the background is white smoke billowing.

Resident Aimee Keteca, 41, said: “It looks pretty serious, the black smoke is substantial.”

John Hood saw smoke billowing “hundreds and hundreds of feet up in the air” from where he was at Colchester United’s football stadium 3.7 miles (6km) away.

Brian Gilbert told BBC Essex presenter Ben Fryer that he could see it from where he was at Abberton Reservoir

“It looks very, very big,” said the 68-year-old.

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