1,700 tonnes of straw catches fire on Suffolk farm

Firefighters also had to rescue 50 pigs in a neighbouring barn (Photo: Mark Eley/Suffolk Fire and Rescue)
Firefighters also had to rescue 50 pigs in a neighbouring barn (Photo: Mark Eley/Suffolk Fire and Rescue)

A Suffolk farm has experienced a huge blaze which started after 1,700 tonnes of straw caught fire.

The cause of the fire, which broke out on Monday (12 February) at Shottishan, near Woodbridge is not yet known.

50 firefighters and 12 Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service vehicles were sent to fight the blaze.

Firefighters also had to rescue 50 pigs in a neighbouring barn.

Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service tweeted: "Green Watch Princes Street assisted by a number of our on call crews remain in attendance at this large barn fire in Shottisham just outside Woodbridge."

A sharp rise in farm fires has prompted a rural insurer to call for farmers to check their fire prevention and evacuation procedures.

NFU Mutual’s claims statistics reveal that the cost of farm fire claims rose by an alarming 26% to £44m in 2016.

The most common cause of farm fires was electrical faults, which were responsible for almost half of 2016 fire claims, according to the insurer. Arson was the next most common cause.

A blaze that torched more than £150,000 worth of straw in a suspected arson attack in Nottinghamshire was described as one of the largest ever farm fires in the UK.