Residents are being urged to remain vigilant when visiting Beccles Common following two fires in less than 24 hours.

Eastern Daily Press: A crew returning to Beccles Common earlier this week after smoke was seen coming from the gorse. Picture: Martin Howe.A crew returning to Beccles Common earlier this week after smoke was seen coming from the gorse. Picture: Martin Howe. (Image: Archant)

Blazes broke out at the common at around 2.30pm yesterday and again at 8am this morning.

Crews from Beccles and Lowestoft attended both incidents and are still monitoring the area.

And Graham Catchpole, chairman of the assets and environment committee on Beccles Town Council, appealed to residents to be aware of the fire risk.

He said: 'It is a tinderbox down there at the moment with all this dry weather.

Eastern Daily Press: Firefighters tackling the blaze at Beccles Common. Picture: Kathy Searby.Firefighters tackling the blaze at Beccles Common. Picture: Kathy Searby. (Image: Archant)

'We just want people to be aware when they are visiting the common and not do anything stupid like dropping cigarettes.'

He also praised the work of the firefighters.

'They got down their quickly and got the fire under control quickly,' he said.

The first fire broke out at 2.27pm yesterday, with 400 square metres of gorse well alight.

They used hose reel jets and the fire was dealt with by 4.36pm.

An inspection was due to take place at 9pm last night, and crews were called back by police after reports of smoke coming from the area again.

They returned to the scene and continued damping down the hotspots.

A fire in a separate area of the common started this morning, with 625 square metres of gorse alight.

Damping down started just after 9am, with the unimog from Lowestoft attending.

The fire was under control by 10am, with crews still working to damp down the area until just after 11am.

A further inspection will be carried out later today.

Did you see the fires? Email your photos to amy.smith@archant.co.uk