A GRASS fire created clouds of smoke and destroyed around 100 foot of foliage on a public footpath.

The fire broke out on a footpath at Canvey Heights, at the rear of Kings Park housing development, at around 7.35pm tonight.

A crew from Canvey fire station attended the scene and spent around half an hour making sure the flames were out.

It is not clear whether the fire was deliberate or accidental.