Thick black smoke has been seen piping over residents' houses as 15 fire engines rush to a blaze in Crewe.

       Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that engines from Crewe, Congleton, Nantwich, Audlem, Winsford, Northwich, Macclesfield, and Lymm are all at the incident battling a large fire tonight after the alarm was raised just before 4.25pm today.

       A spokesperson said: "Fire crews are at the scene of a disused building fire. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus are using hose reel jets to dampen the flames as quickly as possible.

       "15 fire engines plus a number of special appliances including a water bower and a high volume pump are now at the scene. Firefighters are continuing to tackle the large fire."

       Cheshire Police have been evacuating nearby residents. A spokesman for the force said: "Cheshire Fire and rescue are currently dealing with a large commercial building fire in Crewe.

       "We have multiple patrols on scene with a cordon in place to ensure the safety of nearby residents.

       "Please evacuate the area as directed by officers while fire crews are tackling the fire."

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       Drone footage, courtesy of Steve O'Neill, shows the extent of the blaze.