Carn Brea gorse fire tackled by firefighters Published duration 27 May 2015

image copyright Neil Cortis image caption Flames were seen beneath the 90-foot high Celtic cross on top of Carn Brea, a monument to mine owner Francis Basset

Firefighters spent the night tackling a large gorse fire on a historic hillside site in Cornwall.

Six fire crews were sent to deal with what one eyewitness called a "great ring of fire" on Carn Brea at Redruth on Tuesday evening.

About 200 people called 999 reporting the 230 sq ft area of gorse affected on the Pool side of the land.

The flames were brought under control at about 23:30 BST.

A police spokesperson said officers had also been called due to "members of the public driving up to look at the fire and causing access problems".

The name Carn Brea is Cornish for "rocky hill" and it has two historical sites. A 90ft granite cross was built in 1836 in honour of mine owner Lord Francis Basset, Lord de Dunstanville. A medieval castle was built in 1379 as a chapel and is now a restaurant.

image copyright Daniel De Ruvo image caption Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service said Western Power was informed due to the possibility of high flames affecting overhead cables

image copyright Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service image caption About 25 firefighters were called out

Charles Bickford, chairman of Carn Brea Parish Council, described it as a "terrible thing to happen".