FIREFIGHTERS are still dealing with a large barn fire more than 12 hours after it broke out.

Fire ripped through a barn in countryside close to the hamlet of Iveston, near Consett, on Sunday night.

Four fire crews, two from Consett and two from Durham fire stations, were sent to the scene shortly after 7.15pm and arrived to find the building engulfed in flame.

A spokeswoman for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said: “The fire was reported to us by someone living nearby who said that the property was well alight.

“The barn contained a large quantity of hay”.

Fire crews tackled the flames and brought the fire under control, but remain at the scene this morning to dampen down the smouldering building where smoke remains visible.

The spokeswoman added: “Some of our crews are still working there.

“They will be there throughout the day just to make sure it doesn’t spread”.

The cause of the fire is, at present, unknown.