The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service has reassured Bicknoller residents that smoke seen rising above the Quantocks on Thursday was part of a 'controlled burn'.

People in the Bicknoller area were concerned when plumes of smoke were seen rising into the sky at around 2pm.

But a spokesperson for the Fire Service said there was no record of an incident, and added: "We have had reports of controlled burning taking place in the vicinity."

It is thought that the burning could have been carried out by agricultural workers, in a process known as swaling.

Swaling usually takes place between October 1 and April 15 and is a traditional controlled burn to remove overgrown vegetation that can limit public access and constitute a wildfire risk.

The fire services asks landowners to let it know when swaling is being planned in case of 999 calls from the area.

It says: "You can let our Control Room know if you're planning any swaling. This is so we can check in with you if we receive any 999 calls reporting a fire in the same area. This also stops us from sending firefighters out when they’re not needed."