FIREFIGHTERS are currently tackling a third large grass fire on Runcorn Hill in the past 16 hours.

Crews from Runcorn were called at 8.15am today, Friday, to the blaze.

They have put out the flames but are still at the area to dampen down.

Yesterday, Thursday, five fire engines attended - one from Runcorn, one from Widnes, one from Penketh, one from Ellesmere Port and one from Stockton Heath, at around 5.20pm after firefighters were called to reports of fire at the top of Runcorn Hill on Highlands Road.

Crews discovered approximately 50 square metres of heathland well alight and that a crowd of people had gathered.

The fire had spread due to the wind.

A shuttle was set up to get enough water to the area.

Firefighters from Runcorn, Widnes and Penketh tackled the fire with hose reel jets, two main jets and beaters.

Once the fire was extinguished they damped the area down and checked for hotspots to make sure it was safe.

While dealing with that incident crews became away of a second fire on the hill.

Crews from Ellesmere Port and Stockton Heath attended and discovered a large area of grassland and woodland well alight.

The Park Road fire measured approximately 100 metres by 25 metres.

A water shuttle was set up and firefighters used two hose reel jets and beaters to extinguish the fire.

They then damped down hotspot areas to make them safe.

Firefighters were in attendance for around five hours.