What a joke I live in between Dagenham and the Olympic Village and didn't see any smoke....apart from the sausages and burgers I was cremating on the bbq

A large plume of smoke could be seen across London after a major fire broke out at a recycling centre in Dagenham.

Some 200 firefighters have tackled a fire in Dagenham described by the London Fire Commissioner as the city's largest in years.

Forty fire engines were called to the blaze, which broke out about 1:15pm at a recycling centre on Chequers Lane in Dagenham, about eight miles from the Olympic Park.

Just before 6pm, the blaze was under control, but firefighters were staying through the night to monitor it.

At the height of the incident, a plume of smoke could be seen right across London.

The London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson said: "We've not seen a fire of this size in London for several years, it's certainly a dramatic end to the Olympics for the London Fire Brigade.