WEST Midlands Ambulance Service will launched an investigation after one of its vehicles caught fire on the A49 near Leominster.

The A49 was closed at Dinmore Hill on Wednesday afternoon after reports of a vehicle blaze, with two fire crews from Hereford sent to the scene.

The ambulance service has since confirmed it was one of its vehicles which caught fire, but no patients were on board at the time.

A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “At 3.34pm an ambulance crew reported a mechanical issue with their vehicle on the A49 in Dinmore, and shortly afterwards, the ambulance caught fire.

"No patients were onboard at the time and thanks to the quick thinking of staff, they pulled over safely and evacuated the vehicle, taking with them some essential medical equipment, including the defibrillator."

Latest updates: Ambulance fire closes A49 in Herefordshire

"The fire service was called, along with two paramedic officers and a trust mechanic," they added.

"The trust will now start a formal investigation into the cause of the fire.”

The road was closed for a short time as Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service crews tackled the blaze.