Rubbish dumped by fly-tippers started a three hour blaze at the old derelict Klinger factory in Sidcup.

The London fire brigade were called to the scene just past 6pm yesterday (January 17) and it took them until 21:16 and four fire engines to put out the fire.

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Picture: A firefighter watches as the flames burn inside the abandoned factory. Photo: Matthew Hooper

Developer Chancery Gate owns the site and plans to redevelop the site into a series of self-storage units.

However the site has been a constant source of frustration to them as fly-tippers and fires have plagued the former factory site.

In October of last year a group of approximately 40 travellers arrived on the site and started charging people to dump their waste there.

READ MORE: Travellers take over old Klinger factory in Sidcup near Foots Cray Tesco - and start 'charging people to dump waste' there

Chancery Gate had to apply for an eviction order to remove them, but not before London fire brigade had to be called to put out a fire the travellers started.

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Picture: Smoke from the burning factory as the former Klinger factory burns. Photo: Matthew Hooper

James Tinkler, project manager for Chancery Gate, said: “We submitted a planning application to Bromley which went in just before Christmas and we will start development when that goes through.

“It’s a complex process to get it through planning application. One of the pieces of positive feedback we have had from the members of the public was that everyone was really glad that it was being tidied up and developed.”

The planning application was submitted to Bromley council on December 20 and is currently awaiting decision.