Firefighters have been dealing with a fire at the forest that inspired Winnie the Pooh's Hundred Acre Wood.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue said the blaze affected 15 hectares (37 acres) of Ashdown Forest.

Six fire engines, four Land Rovers, a water carrier and a control unit were at the scene overnight after being called out just after 9.30pm on Sunday.

Firefighters left the scene at 10am but East Sussex Fire & Rescue said they would go back during the day for "re-inspection".

"The fire took hold quickly and was significant with approximately 15 hectares alight in a valley area behind the back of Duddleswell," said incident commander Andrew Gausden.


"We do not know the cause of the fire yet," he added.

"We are working closely with Sussex Police and the Ashdown Forest Rangers to investigate the cause. We are not looking at it being a deliberate fire at this time."

Crews from Crowborough, Mayfield, Heathfield, Uckfield, Forest Row, Lewes and Seaford tackled the fire, while Sussex Police used a drone to survey the area.

Kent Fire & Rescue and West Sussex Fire & Rescue also assisted.

Author A A Milne lived near Ashdown Forest and took his son, Christopher Robin, for walks there. It later became the setting for his famous Winnie the Pooh stories.

Two wildfires that broke out at the Sussex forest in February were started accidentally by volunteers doing planned burning of scrub and gorse.