Hot air balloon crash false alarm over Carn Brea

Fire crews were called to Carn Brea on Saturday evening after 17 reports of a gorse fire - with several callers believing a hot air balloon crash was the cause of the blaze. 

When firefighters arrived at the scene near Redruth at around 6.05pm they discovered a 15m x 15m patch of gorse alight.

But despite searching the area, no evidence of a hot air balloon was found. 

A spokesman for Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service said: "There were varying reports of a possible hot air balloon having crashed and setting the gorse alight. 

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"Appliances from Redruth and Camborne attended and found no debris or persons which would have indicated a crash site."

It is not known if there had been hot air balloons in the area earlier in the day that could have prompted the crash fears. 

The gorse fire was extinguished using beaters and is thought to be arson.