FIREFIGHTERS took cover from flying shards of metal as they battled to control a fire that raged through a Bury scrap yard.

Ten engines were called to the blaze at 7.15pm on Saturday (10) but were beaten back by a volley of burning debris.

They battled for more than two hours to control the fire at Steve's Auto Spares, in James Street, Pimhole, which caused dozens of tyres to explode. Firemen escaped any serious injury.

Leading fireman Carl Bostock, of Bury fire station, said: "To access the site, we had to break into several yards, because there are a number of scrap merchants down there.

"The main problem was the flying debris. As the tyres and struts exploded, firefighters had to find whatever cover they could. It was dangerous.

"Hot metal was falling on us, so we moved back and used ground monitors which squirt water from the ground and don't need manning."

Access for crews was also made more difficult because the ground and road near the yard is currently being renovated.

The area was cordoned off while firemen tackled the blaze. They were further hindered by the lack of a nearby hydrant, forcing them to get water from a source at a nearby main road.