The owner of the former Neston factory in which 10 tonnes of tyres caught alight last night said that youths trespassing on the site were a common problem

Seven fire crews spent Monday night tackling the blaze at the building at Brockleaze, which is currently used to store tyres and plastic toys for recycling.

Both of Corsham’s fire crews were called to the former glove factory just after 7pm last night, after the items inside caught fire, causing thick plumes of black smoke which were seen for miles around.

Site owner Bob Sibley said: “I leave all the doors open now because every time I put locks on the doors someone comes and takes them off, and I had all the electric wiring stripped out 18 months ago.

“It had to be started deliberately, simply because in this weather we just wouldn’t get the heat that would make them go up.

“Kids have been a problem there breaking in and smashing windows for a long time, it’s just a playground for them.”

Planning permission has been approved to convert the factory into ten flats, by Mr Sibley was unsure when work would now be able to start.

He said: “According to the fire brigade the building is unsafe, so there is a lot of work to go on there.”