Livestock rescued from barn fire

A number of turkeys, pigs and chickens have been rescued after a fire broke out at a barn in Devon.

The livestock were housed next to the barn on a smallholding on the outskirts of Walkhampton on Dartmoor when the fire broke out on Saturday night.

Fire crews from across the area were called out to tackle the blaze, which is not being treated as suspicious.

They spent more than 12 hours on site as the barn, which was gutted, contained bales of straw and hay.

Watch Commander Fred Glanville from Yelverton fire station said: "It was a bit difficult trying to coax the livestock out of their housing but we eventually managed to turn them out into neighbouring fields where they were all safe.

"Crews from across the area spent the night on site tackling the fire and damping down.

"We had to drag the bales out of the barn and make sure all the pockets of fire were out as there was concern that the bales, which are round, would roll off down the field and cause further fires."

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