Dozens of firefighters have tackled a large corn field fire reportedly started by an electrical fault - as 176 surrounding homes suffered a power cut.
A video shared on social media shows a sheet of flame spread across a field, between Seaham and Murton, as a tractor drives up and down in front of a wall of billowing smoke.
A farmer has written: "Me daughter recorded this. That’s me in the middle trying to put the bloody thing out. Started by a fault on the electric pylon."
Thick clouds of smoke could be seen from as far away as Blackhall Rocks several miles away late Tuesday afternoon (August 9).
A spokesperson for the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said: "We were called to a fire at Cold Hesledon at about 5.35pm on Tuesday.
"Five appliances were dispatched to the scene. On arrival, firefighters found 10 acres of corn well alight.
"Hose reels and beaters were used to deal with the fire."
The spokesperson said the cause of the fire is not known.
But posts on social media noted the power had tripped at the same time.
While it has not been confirmed the incidents are related a Northern Powergrid map showed 176 homes without power in parts of Seaham and Murton until about 9.15pm.
As of 9.20pm, 16 homes remain without power in the Murton area.
Northern Powergrid posted on its website: "The power cut affecting your property has been caused by an unexpected problem with the cables or equipment that serve your area."
There was no one available at Northern Powergrid for comment.
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