A BARN roof was severely damaged yesterday (May 1) as firefighters tackled a straw fire for nearly six hours.

Three crews were called to the barn in Alconbury Road, Coppingford, at 5.55pm to find 80 tonnes of straw on fire inside a barn measuring 30m by 20m containing fertiliser and a mechanical digger.

The farmer who owns the barn worked alongside firefighters and used the mechanical digger to remove the fertiliser.

Firefighters used jets to prevent the fire from spreading to the barn but the roof still suffered significant fire damage.

Crews remained at the fire, which is thought to have been caused by embers from a nearby bonfire, until 11.45pm and returned an hour later to inspect the scene.

Paul Clarke, incident commander, said: “If you are going to have a bonfire, ensure it is built well away from anything that could catch fire, as the embers from the fire can travel, particularly in windy weather.”