Flames at the Wiltshire Waste Recycling site near Devizes are now almost out.

At its peak about 40 fire fighters were tackling hundreds of tonnes of domestic waste which was burning at the A342 Monument Hill facility.

Those living in the area were advised to keep their windows closed last night and thick smoke was seen from some distance.

Louise Knox, spokesman for Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the fire at the Wiltshire Waste Recycling site was now a bonfire.

She said: “We had five crews there through yesterday evening and the fire was contained to one part of the site.

"Credit to the owners of the site, they helped ensure we could get the fire contained to one part of the site.

"Their staff were working fantastically hard last night to create fire breaks.

"They were back on site at 4am today and they are moving anything not on fire away.”

Last night the materials on fire were piles of wood, paper, some plastics and garden waste and she said the those living in the area were told to keep windows closed due to the acridity from the burning plastic.

That was no longer an issue and the materials on fire this morning are garden waste, wood and natural products.

Ms Knox said there was nothing to indicate the fire was anything other than accidental, although they may never know what caused it.

Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to the Wiltshire Waste & Recycling site at Monument Hill at 4.44pm yesterday and the first crews there found 300 tonnes of general waste on fire.

At its height, the blaze was tackled by two crews from Devizes, two from Trowbridge and Melksham, supported by water carriers from Pewsey and Royal Wootton Bassett, an incident command vehicle from Stratton, the aerial appliance from Swindon and an operational support unit from Salisbury.