A major incident has been declared on the Suffolk coast as firefighters battle a substantial heathland blaze at Dunwich Heath, near Leiston.

The Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service was mobilised shortly after 5.30pm on Wednesday following reports of a wildfire.

The inferno is currently spreading south-west, posing a threat to St James’ Church, situated off Westleton Road. Authorities confirmed the major incident status was enacted "due to the size and complexity" of the rapidly developing situation.

Dan Davis, a station manager for the service, has issued an urgent plea for the public to steer clear of the area and ensure windows and doors remain shut.

“Crews from Leiston attended the scene and were met with what is a large-scale, wind- driven forestry fire,” he said.

“The incident has subsequently been upgraded to a major incident.

“We currently have approximately 90 firefighters on scene working incredibly hard in arduous conditions to bring this fire under control.”

Mr Davis added: “I’d like to provide reassurance that we are going to remain on scene until we bring this fire under control.”

It comes amid UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issuing an amber heat-health alert for the East Midlands, the East, South East and London.

The alert remains in place until 9am on Thursday, with the agency previously warning that rising temperatures may increase health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups.

Separately, in Scotland, crews said they were making “significant progress” tackling a wildfire in the Cairngorms that broke out two weeks ago.

A number of homes in the remote region were evacuated as plumes of smoke billowed into the sky, and vast swathes of trees, heather and grasslands have been left charred and blackened.

Speaking on the track on Wednesday, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) deputy assistant chief officer Michael Humphreys told the Press Association that fire crews are making progress in tackling the blaze.

However, he warned the risk of flare-ups remains high.

“It’s been an absolutely devastating fire for wildlife and for the local community who have come out in force to really support us, which we really do appreciate,” he said.

“To control this fire, what we’ve had to put in place is a significant number of fire breaks.”