'Close windows' advice over Newtownards rubbish fire

Image source, Newtownards Chronicle

Image caption, The fire has been burning since Thursday, according to the Newtownards Chronicle

Residents in Newtownards have been told to keep their windows and doors closed against a plume of smoke coming from a "rubbish and rubble fire".

The fire service said that a "significant quantity" of material is on fire at the Castlebawn site on Portaferry Road.

The advice has been issued to those in the Court Street and Castlebawn areas.

Image source, Newtownards Chronicle

Image caption, The fire service said it had extinguished one area of the fire

The fire in the County Down town has been burning for four days, .

In a statement, the fire service said that it had extinguished one area of the fire.

"We have been liaising with environmental health from Ards and North Down Borough Council and the site owners, and are awaiting a digger to arrive on site to separate the rubbish and rubble to enable us to continue with firefighting operations."