FIREFIGHTERS spent yesterday battling a blaze at a Hampshire caravan park.

A total of 18 caravans have been destroyed and a further 20 left badly damaged by smoke and heat following the fire which broke out shortly after 3pm.

Hampshire fire control received a 999 call from a member of the public reporting smoke and flames from a nursery and caravan storage yard in Main Road, Colden Common.

Crews from Eastleigh, Winchester and St Mary’s in Southampton were all sent to the scene were they found several of the caravans alight.

They quickly brought the flames under control and contained the fire from spreading through the storage yard which was home to many hundreds of caravans.

The blaze was eventually out at 5.08pm, two hours after the initial emergency call.

Tonight firefighters remain at the scene were they are damping down and looking for hotspots in other caravans.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is now underway, led by the Hampshire Arson Task Force.