An engineering plant in Lincoln has been badly damaged in a huge fire.

More than 50 firefighters from across Lincolnshire tackled the blaze which is thought to have destroyed half the business.

The fire started in the foundry area of Clarke's Crank & Forge Company early on Thursday.

No-one was hurt but the 80 staff have been sent home and the cost to the business is still unknown.

MD Michael Harwood: "Obviously a blow"

Managing director Michael Harwood said: "It's obviously a blow - we're not working.

"How much it will cost we just don't know until we can get in there.

"It looks as though part of the building can be worked but we just don't know and we don't know about the electrics."

The fire started when a cooling tank set alight.

"The fire started next to one of the furnaces where some of the engine crankshafts had been taken out and put into an oil tank to cool," said David Hopkins, of Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue.

Sealed off

"Oil spilled out and went onto the floor which set fire to the building. It was fairly hazardous. The building was full of smoke when we arrived."

The incident was one of the largest fires in Lincolnshire this year.

The area had to be sealed off and a nearby Tesco supermarket evacuated.

Store staff were able to return to work once the fire was brought under control.

Experts from the Environment Agency are also making sure that oil from the plant has not contaminated the water supply.