Huge blaze at Manchester recycling plant

A huge blaze has ripped through a recycling plant, creating a plume of black smoke that can be seen for miles.

Dramatic images show 40 firefighters battling with the flames at the fire near Salford, which has brought traffic to a standstill on the nearby M60.

Manchester Fire Service wrote on Twitter: “The heat from the #cliftonfire is so intense it melted the letters on this fire engine.”

The heat from the #cliftonfire is so intense it melted the letters on this fire engine. pic.twitter.com/O7NgNLusFs

— Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (@manchesterfire) March 15, 2015

The fire is at a recycling plant in Clifton, and according to the fire service “involves a large quantity of recycled plastics”.

Fire in Clifton involves a large quantity of recycled plastics, firefighters working really hard at the scene

— Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (@manchesterfire) March 15, 2015

Eight fire engines are fighting the blaze, and people living in the area are being advised to keep their windows shut due to the smoke.

There are ambulances on the scene, but nobody has been injured.

A spokeswoman for the fire service said that they had surrounded the fire, and were spraying jets onto fire and on adjacent buildings so it does not spread due to the heat of the flames.