Farm fire destroys 3,000 straw bales

More than 1,500t of oilseed rape straw have been destroyed by fire on a farm in Kent.

Five appliances from Kent Fire and Rescue service tackled the blaze at Old Rides Farm, Eastchurch, which started at about 1am on Sunday 29 June.

Firefighters remained at the scene until Sunday evening, allowing the 3,000-bale stack to burn itself out.

Although there were a spate of fires caused by arson in the area during 2013, a fire service spokesman stressed that the cause of the latest blaze was under investigation and remained unknown.

The free-standing stack of bedding straw covered 60sq m of a field close to cattle pens co-owned by John Burden.

In an interview with a regional newspaper, Mr Burden said that he and his son had moved the cattle to safety as the fire raged.

He told the Kent Messenger that the cost of the damage would run to tens of thousands of pounds. The cost of replacing heat-damaged metalwork alone would add up to more than £50,000, Mr Burden said.