A FIRE raged through a huge pile of hay and recycling waste at a composting plant on the outskirts of St Albans overnight.

The blaze broke out at the facility off the B556 St Albans Road heading towards South Mimms at about 9.30pm and fire crews including two from St Albans Fire Station spent much the night battling to bring the inferno under control. Firefighters remained on the scene this morning.

Around 50 square metres of hay and recycling went up in flames at the site which is operated by Agrivert and the fire also threatened overhead power lines which prompted the electricity board to be called to the scene.