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Deliberately dumped and torched tyres posed problems for Wigan borough firefighters during the early hours.

Around 30 had been tipped onto land down a very narrow track with overhanging trees off Beefold Lane, Tyldesley, before being set alight at 3am today (September 1).

A crew from Atherton station had to proceed with extreme caution to get their tall and wide engine down the track before dousing the flames and toxic smoke with hoses.

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A tyre blaze similar to the one confronting Atherton firefighters at 3am today

The alarm had been raised by people who had been night fishing nearby and heard noises.

Atherton watch manager Steve Green said: “It is a deliberate ploy. The tyres are set alight to burn off the rubber because what the people who have dumped them really want is the metal wheel.

"It’s easier just to burn them than try to remove the tyre, so they take them to a remote location that they have picked – where it’s difficult for fire service vehicles to access – and set them on fire with the intention of returning later to recover the metal.

"Because of the narrow track and trees we had to proceed down there very, very slow otherwise we risked damaging the vehicle.”

Watch manager Green said Wigan Council was being informed so its staff could recover the metal instead.

The items burnt were car tyres rather than from any larger vehicles.

Tyres themselves also used to be incinerated because they were reinforced with wire which could also be salvaged for scrap, but more modern tyres are toughened with Kevlar which is of little value to scavengers.

Firefighters tackle early hours dumped tyres blaze

"It’s easier just to burn them than try to remove the tyre, so they take them to a remote location that they have picked – where it’s difficult for fire service vehicles to access – and set them on fire with the intention of returning later to recover the metal.

The items burnt were car tyres rather than from any larger vehicles.

Tyres themselves also used to be incinerated because they were reinforced with wire which could also be salvaged for scrap, but more modern tyres are toughened with Kevlar which is of little value to scavengers.