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Large amounts of toxic black smoke billowed from a shipping container after more than 100 tyres caught light.

A crew from Hindley fire station was called to woodland between Bickershaw Lane and Woodcock Drive, Platt Bridge, after a blaze – which could be seen for miles around at twilight – was reported at around 9pm on Monday May 1.

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Because the incident posed no risk to human life or property and because dousing the flames can create more pollution than the fumes, it was decided to let the used tyres burn themselves out.

Firefighters returned to the incident hours later to confirm it had burnt out

Crew manager Luke McDiarmid said: “We treated it as a controlled burn.

"Having dealt with incidents like this previously, we know that putting water on such fires creates a higher environmental risk due to the contaminated water run-off.

"You can only do this when there is no danger to surrounding properties or people though and this was the case here.”

The crew returned to the scene at 7.30am on Tuesday May 2 to check that the fire had burnt itself out.

Plumes of black smoke seen over Wigan as scores of tyres go up in flames

"You can only do this when there is no danger to surrounding properties or people though and this was the case here.”