A PLUME of smoke rising over the Dee Park Estate alerted nearby firefighters to burning bush this afternoon.

Firefighters on standby at Dee Road Fire Station spotted the smoke rising over the houses just as the alarm was raised at around 4.30pm.

One fire crew from the station rushed to Upton Road in Tilehurst and found the bush had burst into a large blaze.

Firefighters used a hose reel to douse the flames which luckily did not spread to the block of maisonettes nearby.