Firefighters rush to extinguish 'well alight' crop field fire near Portsdown Hill amid increased number of open-area blazes

Four water pumps were used to quell the flames from roughly 10pm yesterday, in Pigeon House Lane.

Crew Manager Stephen Alton, of Southsea Fire Station, told The News: ‘It was a field of crop on fire over the back of the hill.

‘It was well alight when we arrived, and we managed to beat the fire down and around it.

‘We got it put out quite quickly.’

Mr Alton said the cause of the fire remains unknown.

The stop message was given at 11.50pm.

Firefighters attended from Southsea, Cosham, Waterlooville, Havant and Fareham.

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Mr Alton said they have responded to more open-area blazes recently due to the weather.

‘We have been going through loads of open fire in and out of county,’ he added.

‘These lots of heath and common fires, some started by BBQs.

‘People often discard glass and cigarette ends, and in this dry heat, it often just goes up.’