FIRE crews from across North Yorkshire were called to a large barn fire last night, which is believed to have been started deliberately.

An investigation is underway by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and police into the major fire at Jervaulx near Masham, which broke out just after 2am on Sunday.

Crews from Leyburn and Masham arrived at the scene on Kilgram Lane discovered a barn containing 330 bales of straw well alight.

They called for extra assistance and fire units from Richmond, Ripon and Thirsk were sent to the scene.

They put out the blaze using two main jets and breathing apparatus. An investigation is now underway into the cause of the fire, which at this stage is thought to have been started deliberately.

Ben Cairns, from the fire service said tweeted that the fire crews had “worked hard to prevent the fire spreading to adjacent properties”.