A?BARN containing 50 tonnes of straw and hay was destroyed by a blaze which tore through a 600 square metre barn at Petrockstowe on Monday.

Fire crews from Hatherleigh, Okehampton and Torrington attended the scene along with a water carrier from Barnstaple at 3.30am.

Crews requested further assistance and Western Power attended.

By 8.30am the fire was extinguished but the entire building and 20 tonnes of straw and 30 tonnes of large hay bales were destroyed.

One jet, two hosereel jets and two sets of breathing apparatus were used to put out the fire. The cause of the blaze was accidental said fire officers.