Calls are growing for a ban on the sale of disposable barbecues as another heatwave washes over Norfolk's parched countryside.

After weeks without rain, there are fears the county could see a repeat of mid-July, when firefighters were stretched to the limit dealing with hundreds of field and forest fires, some of which spread to homes devastating communities including Ashill and Brancaster Staithe.

Tom Fyans, director of campaigns and policy at the Campaign for the Preservation of Rural England, said: "We’ve entered a new climate era – we now have to prepare for what was once unthinkable.

"Hosepipe bans are already imposed during periods of drought. It’s common sense that we may now need to consider fire bans in the countryside during heatwaves."

Some 60 acres of coastal wildlife habitat were destroyed by fire at Wild Ken Hill, near Snettisham, during last month's heatwave.

While the cause may never be known, its project manager Dominic Buscall said: "Disposable BBQs really are a blight on our countryside and a significant fire risk in these dry conditions.

"We urge these to banned. It is also time for concerted action across government, business, and society to fight climate change and reduce the risk of wildfires in the future."

Charles le Strange Meakin, whose family owns the nearby le Strange Estate, found seven barbecues smouldering in the sand dunes when he patrolled the site with staff on Sunday night.

The National Trust, which owns swathes of land across the Norfolk coast and flagship country properties in the county said: "We want people to enjoy being outdoors in nature, and we know that picnicking is a great way to do this.

"With a changing climate, the danger of wildfires is increasing and barbecues can have serious consequences."

Some stores have removed disposable BBQs from their shelves, including Waitrose, Aldi and Marks and Spencer.

Waitrose buyer Lucy Comer said: "Disposable barbecues present a risk to our natural habitats and this is why we've committed to removing them from our shelves this year."

While she added she hoped other stores would follow suit, others have not gone as far.

Morrisons said it had removed disposable BBQs from all of its stores within a mile of a national park, including the Broads, which are considered part of the national park family.

Sainsbury's said: “We offer customers choice, including a range of reusable portable barbecues across Sainsbury’s and Argos. All our disposable BBQ packaging includes clear safety warnings and extensive advice on how and where to safely use and dispose of the barbecue."