SMOKE from a blaze on a Gravesend industrial site continues to drift across the Thames and across Thurrock, 36 hours after the flames broke out.

The view from Tilbury this morning:

Tackling the blaze at a metal recycling site has proved to be a long and arduous one for Kent's fire service.

Its spokesperson Scott Jones said: "It's a fairly substantial fire but we are concentrating our best efforts to get it resolved as quickly and safely as possible.

Smoke rising from the site on the south bank of the Thames opposite the Port of Tilbury. Picture by Douglas Donovan.

"It's a challenging incident. The issues are getting the water onto the fire itself and extinguishing it quickly so it doesn't spread to other stacks of scrap metal materials."

The cause of the fire is currently unknown, Mr Jones added.

Firefighters are expected to be on the scene for another 24 hours.

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The fire was discovered in the early hours of yesterday morning (Monday, 26 May) with six teams of firefighters tackling it through the day.

A huge plume of smoke rose from the seat of the fire at plant on Crete Hall Road and drifted in an easterly direction across the Thames.

Residents were advised to close doors and windows, but on social media many people across the area reported issues with breathing and congestion.

The issue of air pollution in Thurrock is currently a hot topic in the borough and dust in Tilbury is likely to be a hot topic at this evening's meeting of Tilbury Community Forum, at the Civic Centre, starting at 7pm.