A PILE of rubbish on a stairwell caused a fire to break out in a block of high-rise flats on Sunday.

Firefighters from Caversham, Dee Road, Wokingham Road, Whitley Wood and Bracknell were called to Wensley Road at Coley Park at around 4.30pm. 

The crews discovered rubbish on the fourth floor stairwell, which caused smoke to billow as high as the 13th floor.

A spokesman for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Upon arrival, firefighters found a rubbish fire in the fourth floor stairwell.

"Crews extinguished the fire, but it had caused smoke logging on the 10th and 13th floors so firefighters worked to ventilate the area.

"They were on the scene for about an hour and 20 minutes."

Paramedics were also sent to the scene, but no medical attention was required.