Twenty-one animals have been killed in a fire at a farm in East Cleveland in the early hours of today.

Nine sows and 12 piglets burned to death in a wooden building at the farm on Grinkle Lane in Saltburn.

Two fire brigade crews from Loftus and Skelton fought the blaze for more than an hour, but were unable to save the trapped animals.

Cleveland Police said the fire was not being treated as suspicious. The outbuilding was completely destroyed.