CROWDS stood watching in horror on the heath’s hills as acres of land went up in flames before their eyes.

Families, dog walkers and cyclists were repeatedly turned back by firefighters and teams of Dorset Wildlife Trust workers as they crept too close to the fire.

Residents from roads adjoining those evacuated lined the streets as the danger crept nearer. There were gasps as a telegraph pole close to the homes was engulfed. Lisa Courtney, who lives off Springdale Road, was walking her dogs on the heath.

She said: “I came back home at about 4pm to all this commotion. The whole area is gridlocked.

“There was a good view right over the area from my house but I came over to check that some horses near Beacon Road had been moved and bumped into a friend.

“I wouldn’t have gone so far on my own. The animals were my main concern at first, but they had already been moved.

That’s when we found out houses had been evacuated.

“As we got closer, we were told to move back.

“The flames are quite scary to watch.

“As it’s quite windy the flames are travelling quite a distance.”

Onlooker Paul East, from Broadstone, watched transfixed from the brow of a hill near Beacon Hill landfill for more than 45 minutes.

He said: “I got stuck in the traffic and came over to take some photos. I’ve just watched it gradually go across.

“I just hope the wind does not change too much and really endanger those homes.

“That electricity pole going up worries me – look at it burn.”

Evacuated residents found shelter at community centres in Upton and Broadstone.