FIRE crews dealt with a blaze on a ship Tilbury docks earlier this afternoon.

Crews arriving at the scene at about 2.45pm reported that a JCB was well alight inside the 20,000 tonne ship and close to a cargo of wood chippings.

Fire fighters wearing breathing apparatus used one main jet to tackle the blaze and to damp down the wood chippings to prevent spread. The fire being extinguished by 3.21pm.

Ten pumps from across south Essex were originally sent to the scene - the pre determined attendance of an incident of this kind.