EMERGENCY crews were called out following reports that a car towing a caravan along a main road north of York was on fire.

North Yorkshire fire and rescue says reports came in just before 9pm last night that the car towing a caravan along the A168 near Dishforth to the southbound carriageway of the A1 was in flames.

Fire crews found the car and caravan – but by then the fire was already out.

It had been caused by a small fire in the car’s engine compartment, they say. The fire had not spread to the caravan.

“Crews used a hose reel jet to cool the engine and a thermal imaging camera to check for hot spots,” a spokesperson for North Yorkshire fire and rescue said.

“Crews then assisted highways officers to move both the vehicle and the caravan from the carriageway.”