Firefighters battled to stop a ferocious blaze in the grounds of a riverside mill spreading to the buildings.

Crews from Rawdon, Otley and Cookridge were called to the blaze at Garnett's Paper Mill in Wharfeside, Otley, at 7.40pm today.

The flames, fuelled by paper bales which were being stored outside the mill, were threatening to spread.

A spokesman said: "Initially, attendance for a fire in the open is one pump, but because it was so ferocious outside we sent two to safeguard the building."

Relief teams from Keighley and Stanningley were due to take over the effort later on.