Firefighters battled late this afternoon to stop a fierce blaze spreading to an historic mill complex in Keighley.

Crews from across the district were drafted in to tackle the inferno, at Dalton Mills, Dalton Lane.

Burning waste – including plastic – sent flames shooting 30 feet into the air and thick, black smoke billowing across the town.

Initially three fire crews – from Bingley, Silsden and Haworth – attended when the alarm was raised, at about 5.15pm.

But two further appliances, from Keighley and Shipley, and a Bradford-based aerial ladder were brought in.

Incident commander Alan Wood said the quick actions of his team helped prevent the fire catching hold inside the buildings, some parts of which are derelict and others occupied by businesses.

“The fire was in the open but substantial – there was a lot of heat,” said Mr Wood, a watch commander at Bingley fire station.

“Our main concern was that it was right up against buildings and our priority was to stop it spreading inside, which we achieved.

“If the buildings had taken hold we would would have had a much more serious situation on our hands.”

The crews, using three large water jets, had the blaze under control within about half an hour but some firefighters remained at the scene this evening damping down.

No one was injured.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.