CREWS from six fire stations worked to tackle a large barn fire near the Deer Park Forest at Herodsfoot.

Firefighters from Lostwithiel and Liskeard were initially mobilised to the fire yesterday morning, but on arrival, the officer in charge called for additional pumps from Liskeard, Looe, Polruan, and Bodmin, due to a lack of water hydrants nearby. The water carrier came from Liskeard and breathing apparatus support from St Austell.

The 20m by 8m barn was well alight on the crews’ arrival, said Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, and firefighting was hampered by the presence of solar panels and the live cables from them.

Crew worked to protect hay bales nearby from being caught in the blaze.

A spokespersn for Lostwithiel Community Fire Station said: ’Western Power arrived on scene and isolated the electric to enable us to safely extinguish the fire with hose reel jets, main jets and a total of eight sets of breathing apparatus.’