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Puddletown Forest fire 'caused by disposable barbecue'

DWFRS Puddletown Forest fireDWFRS
The blaze was "completely avoidable", the fire service has said

A disposable barbecue is believed to have started a large forest fire in Dorset.

About 60 firefighters spent more than four hours putting out the blaze, which broke out in Puddletown Forest at about 16:30 BST on Sunday.

A fire service Twitter account, which showed a burnt-out disposable barbecue at the scene, said: "We cannot stress enough how irresponsible this is."

Crews were due to return to the area to check for hotspots.

DWFRS Puddletown Forest fireDWFRS
The fire service said a burnt-out disposable barbecue was found at the scene

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said it was "a completely avoidable wild fire".

It urged people to "follow government guidance and only go outdoors when necessary", which it said would help prevent such "damaging, resource-intensive fires".

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The fire service said the blaze started shortly after 16:30 BST on Sunday