FIREFIGHTERS continued their efforts to battle back the blaze on Winter Hill as the moorland inferno entered its fifth day.

Crews from Manchester, Lancashire, Lincolnshire and further afield carried on the fight against the moorland fire as it continued to scorch the countryside.

The mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham visited the scene to speak to firefighters and offer his support this morning.

He was also taken to the front line of the blaze to see the damage it had caused first-hand.

During a statement he made near the fire brigade's base camp in Georges Lane, he called for more support for the firefighters, including air support, and said he would be asking the Government to take a closer interest in the major incident.

Mr Burnham said: “It became clear over the weekend this situation was becoming much more serious and that’s why I’m here this morning.

“I wanted to see for myself just what latest situation is and to be honest it’s something of a shock to see just how close the fire came to the mast, which is key critical national infrastructure.

“I wanted to thank the firefighters they have been doing a brilliant job all weekend.”

"But one of the things I take away from this visit this morning is that I think they need more support, possibly air support.

“Later today I will be seeking a call with the Home Secretary to relay what I’ve seen and to ask the government to take a closer interest to what is happening on the ground here.

“This remains a challenging situation and we need to ensure necessary resources are being made available.”

It was revealed over the weekend that helicopters had spotted people on the moors attempting to start more fires.

When asked about this, Mr Burnham said it was "beggars belief" that people could do such a thing.

Pictures taken beyond the police cordon near the mast on the top of Winter Hill showed miles of earth scorched black by the fire, as personnel with beaters continued to batter away at the flames.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said there were a number of fire engines at the scene yesterday morning, which had increased from 17 to 22 overnight.

The engines were continuing to focus on hotspots around the site of the fire, which covers an area measuring 8km.

A spokesman also revealed that crews do not believe the fire has got any worse since Sunday.

This was after some people on social media reported that the smell of smoke near the Sharples area had got worse at about 3am today.

But Lancashire firemen believe this to be a result in a change of the wind direction and wind speed.

As well as fire crews from across the country, other organisations have been doing their part.

These include unpaid volunteers from Bolton Mountain Rescue Team, who have been ensuring the safety of people involved in the operation.

Other organisations include United Utilities, which owns much of the land in that area, the coastguard, Greater Manchester Police and Bolton Council.

The fire at Winter Hill started on Thursday before another was ignited at Horrocks Farm in Scout Road.

A major incident was declared when the two fires converged and began to tear through the moors.

Crews now expect the fire in Winter Hill to burn for several days.

People are still being urged to stay away from the area and police have issued a warning for people not to fly their drones over the site to take pictures and videos.

A cordon remained on several roads across the Horwich and Rivington areas with police vehicles stationed at each of them.

Road closures were in places yesterday at Scout Road, Belmont Road, Smithills Dean Road, Longshore Ford Road, Walker Fold Road, Georges Lane, Marklands Road and Old Rake.

But police officers from the Bolton borough have said people are still ignoring the closures at their own risk.

Donations also continued to flood in from the community to help the crews tackling the fire.

As well as bottles of water, people have been visiting fire stations with food and energy drinks.

Members of Horwich First Community Group organised the delivery of a van and 40-foot refrigeration trailer, which was donated by Waitrose.

Staff at Bolton North Fire Station had been received items from the community until 6pm today.

Donors may be diverted to Stalybridge Fire Station tomorrow.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service thanked the public and has appealed for non-perishable food items, water and energy drinks.

Messages of support for the firefighters have been coming in from across the country, including from those who grew up in Bolton.

Comedian Paddy McGuinness said on Twitter: "Hope the fantastic emergency services get Winter Hill fire under control soon. It’s a beautiful part of Bolton.

"I’ve spent many happy years up there. Walking, camping, biking and during my teenage years, in a car."

The ongoing blaze at Winter Hill is being tackled alongside the continuing Saddleworth Moor fire, which has entered its second week.

Advice from Public Health England remained the same — residents in areas affected by smoke should stay indoors and keep their doors and windows closed.

Motorists travelling nearby should also keep their car windows and air vents closed.

Smoke can irritate air passages, the skin and the eyes leading to coughing and wheezing, breathlessness and chest pain.

Anyone concerned about their symptoms should contact their GP or the NHS 111 service.