A huge scrapyard blaze is set to become a three-day operation for East Sussex Fire Brigade.

Three fire appliances were still at Jordan's scrapyard in North Quay, Newhaven, today.

Firefighters were expected to be on the scene throughout tonight and possibly into tomorrow.

It was the biggest blaze in East Sussex this year - but it could have been far worse.

Some 120 firefighters overcame water shortages to prevent flames spreading to big diesel tanks nearby.

A huge pall of smoke billowed over the town towards Seaford and Eastbourne and could be seen from Saltdean to Hailsham.

No one was injured and damage was limited to piles of old vehicles and other scrap metal.

When the first firefighters arrived, they were faced with a huge ball of flame inside a pile of scrap cars at least 30 vehicles high.

The firefighters' priority was to prevent the fire spreading to huge storage tanks of diesel 15m from the blaze.

The long-established scrap merchant's was well away from houses.

The first emergency calls were received shortly after midnight. Residents overlooking the site were woken by the sound of explosions and looked out to see an orange glow in the sky.

The flames grew higher and higher with the blaze reaching its peak at 3am.

For the firefighters, it could not have happened at a worse time. The tidal waters of the River Ouse were at their lowest and not enough water could be pumped to the fire.

It took officers from all over Sussex four hours to contain the blaze. New East Sussex Fire Chief Des Prichard arrived at 4.30am to take personal charge.

Once the fire had been contained, mechanical diggers operated by Jordan's staff started to take away piles of still smouldering metal. These were doused by hoses connected to fire tenders lined up along the key.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Mike Smyth said: "We were dealing with a lot of compressed units which had a lot of voids in them.

"These caused a lot of small fires within the piles of scrap. Scrap cars are full of highly combustible materials compressed into small areas which explode in the heat.

"The fire may have been burning for some time inside the piles before it was noticed.

"We were hampered by the lack of water when we first arrived."

Jordan's refused to comment about their operations on the quayside or about the fire.

Some residents feared the area would have to be evacuated.

Police warned people living to the west of the fire to keep windows and doors shut.

Tracy Wood, of Avis Road, Newhaven, said: "The fire started shortly after midnight. It was a small glow at first but it gradually got bigger. All the sky was orange. We were up all night watching it."

Hours later, MP Norman Baker, whose Lewes constituency includes Newhaven, told MPs of the fire during a Commons debate.

He praised East Sussex Fire Brigade for its handling of the incident, particularly for stopping the fire spreading to the tanks of diesel.

The MP, who is vehemently opposed to the building of a waste incinerator on the North Quay, said: "I have heard reports of smoke from the fire reaching as far as Eastbourne and Hailsham.

"It just shows what would happen if an incinerator was built at Newhaven and where fumes could end up"