FIREFIGHTERS nine week battle with a woodpile blaze in Mountnessing is finally over.

Crews left the industrial site in Thoby Lane this evening after work over the weekend meant the site was safe enough to hand back to the land owner.

Diggers were taken onto the site to create a fire break around the burning pile, meaning the majority of the remaining wood has now been isolated and will not catch light.

Firefighters have dedicated 1,514 hours to keeping the blaze under control since it started on August 18.

The 5,000-ton woodpile contained scrap timber.

Adam Eckley, the acting chief fire officer, said there was hardly an officer in the county who hadn’t helped with the fire at some stage: “This has been a significant incident to deal with, using considerable resources and presenting a number of challenges over the weeks on site.

“We are now entering the final stages though our work at the site hasn’t finished entirely. But with the progress over the weekend, the community can be assured that we are no longer required to maintain a constant presence here.”