AN estimated £10,000 damage was done when a barn containing 3,000 bales of hay caught fire in the village of Marston, near Devizes, on Sunday morning.

Farmer William Warden and his family were out when the blaze began shortly after 11am and he has neighbours to thank for rescuing a tractor and crop sprayer from the burning barn. Mr Warden said: "I have no idea how the fire began but we have lost the hay and various bits of machinery. We had gone out for a couple of hours and when we returned the fire was almost out.

"I am very grateful to the Howards from Manor Farm for doing what they did to get the tractor and crop sprayer out."

The incident was attended by pumping appliances from Devizes and Melksham as well as a water carrier from Wilton.

Two cooling jets were used to damp down the blaze after Mr Warden managed to pull most of the blazing hay from the barn with a JCB. Firefighters remained at the scene until 8pm that evening to make sure the fire had been completely extinguished.

A spokesman from Wiltshire Fire Brigade warned that this time of year is dangerous for countryside fires because of the dry conditions and amount of combustible material around. Bonfires must be kept well away from inflammable material, kept as small as possible and tended at all times.