Billowing smoke could be seen as far away as in Hertfordshire

These dramatic images show a huge fire which blazed for several hours at a recycling centre in Harlesden yesterday (Tuesday).

Around 40 fire fighters and eight fire engines were called to the scene in Scrubs Lane where around 3,000 tonnes of scrap metal caught fire at around 2-50pm in the afternoon.

The blaze was under control at around 8.30pm.

A large plume of smoke could be seen across much of the city as the pile continued to burn and a flurry of images were sent to the Times including these from photographer Owen Roseblade.

Residents and business in the area were ordered to keep their windows and doors shut as the smoke continued to billow over the Brent skyline for much of the evening.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.