Firefighters tackle blaze near the Mourne Mountains

Claire Paine The image shows a large fire burning in the dark at the foot hill of the Mourne Mountains in Castlewellan. A small, barbed wire fence is illuminated in the foreground.Claire Paine

Firefighters are tackling a fire at the foothills of the Mourne Mountains.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said it received a report at about 18:42 GMT on Monday of a blaze on the Altnadua Road outside of Castlewellan, County Down.

The service said six firefighting appliances are currently at the scene, with the incident expected to continue for another few hours.

A NIFRS spokesperson urged members of the public to avoid the Dublin Road and the Bann Road while the incident is ongoing.