BIN workers had to make a dramatic stop and flee their lorry when a fire broke out inside. 

They were collecting rubbish on Branchal Road in Wishaw when the blaze started.

As fire crews made their way to the scene, staff had to dump the waste on the side of the road and evacuate the lorry.

A local resident, Lawrence Morgan, told Lanarkshire Live: "According to one of the men tasked with clearing up the enormous mess, something within the contents of the lorry caught fire and the entire load was dumped from the vehicle. The area was immediately cordoned off.

"Heavy equipment and manpower were dispatched to clear the mounds of debris from the roadway."

Damaged batteries were confirmed as the cause of the fire. 

A North Lanarkshire Council spokesperson said: “A fire broke out inside one of our bin lorries on Branchall Road, Cambusnethan on Sunday. Waste from the lorry was ejected on to the road and the fire service extinguished the fire.

"Thanks to the quick actions of the crew, no one was injured and the vehicle was undamaged. The waste was removed later that day and the road cleaned.

“It appears the fire was caused by batteries, which can spark a fire when damaged. Batteries should not be disposed of in household waste bins but should be recycled responsibly. Many large retailers provide recycling bins for batteries.”