ALMOST 100 tonnes of metal caught fire in a scrap yard.

Firefighters from Farnworth, Atherton and Leigh were called to the Maxi Lead metal recycling plant in Mosley Common Road, Mosley Common, at 6.50pm o Wednesday.

The alarm was raised when an off-duty employee was walking past and saw smoke.

Firefighters spent three hours putting out the fire, which is believed was caused accidentally.