FIREFIGHTERS are tackling a barn fire in which thousands of bales of hay and tons of silage have been destroyed.

Crews were alerted to the blaze on Salmon Lane, Snape, near Bedale, North Yorkshire shortly before 5am today.

A North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service spokesman said the 100m by 60m barn contained 4,500 bales of hay and about 1,000 tons of silage and that they expected to remain at the scene for several hours.

Eight fire engines were involved in tackling the fire, the cause of which is unknown.