A WOMAN whose house is close to the scene of a tyre blaze has told how she heard a loud explosion before the flames took hold.

Fire crews were called to High Street, Ferryhill Station at around 9pm tonight (Wednesday) after a fire broke out in a building storing the tyres.

The incident happened in a premises known locally as The Goods Yard.

County Durham Fire and Rescue said the building measured 10m by 20m and was well alight on arrival.

Three fire crews attended the scene, which was brought under control around an hour or so later.

Dawn Davies, who lives nearby the former coal yard with her 11-year-old disabled son, said: "I was bathing my son and I heard bang, bang.

"I thought what's that? I looked out the bathroom window and I was like 'oh my God."

Ms Davies said she was staying indoors, but had difficulty breathing as a result of the smoke from the fire.

She has lived near the site for 25 years, but she said in the last couple of years the fire service had visited on a number of occasions.

"It has never been as big as this before," she said. "This is the big one that we have been saying was going to happen.

"The smoke must have been seen all over County Durham."

Do you have pictures of the incident? Email newsdesk@nne.co.uk