Firefighters' plea to public after surge in Derbyshire wildfires sparked by tinder dry vegetation

Derbyshire Fire And Rescue Service said that in the last seven days they have been called out to tackle 66 fires in the open.

A spokesperson added: “On average between April and September this weekly figure is normally 28 - that's a 135% increase!

“High temperatures equal tinder dry grass and vegetation.”

They urged members of the public to discard their rubbish responsibly, not to barbecue in open spaces and not to start fires.

The warning follows the sudden rise in blazes they have had to tackle – with many of them being started deliberately.