SPONTANEOUS combustion is being blamed for a large straw bale fire at a farm near a North Yorkshire village on Tuesday.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue received the call at about 9.30am to reports of straw bales in a field in Wild Hill Lane just outside Hunton, near Catterick Garrison, on fire.

Crews from Richmond and Colburn attended the blaze, and used two hose reels to tackle the fire which involved around 40 straw bales.

It took around two hours to get the fire under control and farm machinery was also used to move the bales and spread them out to allow fire crews to dampen them down.

The Northern Echo: BALES: Around 40 straw bales were burnt out at a farm near Hunton

BALES: Around 40 straw bales were burnt out at a farm near Hunton