FIRE crews have spent the weekend working around the clock to tackle a massive farm fire.

The major hay bale fire, at Willow Grange Farm, in Sandholmes Lane, Sowerby, near Thirsk, was reported to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue at around 5pm on Saturday.

The Northern Echo:

This photo was posted to the A Better Thirsk Facebook Page

At its peak, around 400 half-tonne bales were alight and overhead power lines had to be turned off due to the close proximity to the flames.

Neighbour Julie Spence, who runs a caravan business in the field next to the stack of bales, said her son helped raise the alarm.

James Spence, 14, said he had been playing near the bales when suddenly there was screaming from the other side of the stack.

He said: “We went to see what was going on, saw the fire and started to panic. We tried to put it out but it was getting too strong.

“I was worried about my home nearby so I ran back and my mum called 999.”

The Northern Echo:

Three caravans had to be moved as a precaution but fortunately none were damaged.

North Yorkshire Police are currently investigating the cause of the fire – which happened less than two weeks after a fire that saw a huge barn burn to the ground in Bedale.

The Bedale blaze affected more than 200 cattle that had to be evacuated to safety, and five teenagers were later arrested.

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said two crews from Northallerton and Thirsk remained on site on throughout Saturday night, and at the peak of the blaze crews from Boroughbridge and Malton assisted with water jets.

Police were called to the Sowerby fire at 5.20pm on Saturday because of drifting smoke which might have been a hazard to motorists - however the blaze was restricted to a field and there is not thought to have been any threat to livestock or nearby buildings.

On Sunday, David Yearley from Ripon red watch fire crew, said firefighters had been continuing to monitor the smouldering bales.

He said: “Straw can take a long time to extinguish so we really need to monitor it while it burns out.

“We will continue to turn the straw over with machinery and with spades, making sure we keep it under control.”

Crews had created a fire break and the farmer was using his tractor to remove the bales.