Farm workers who leapt into action when agricultural machinery caught fire have been praised for preventing a 'large-scale' blaze breaking out.

A farmer and others were said to have grabbed a hose to extinguish a fire which broke out on a combine harvester working on land in west Dorset.

It happened at a farm between Whitchurch Canonicorum and Shave Cross, north of Ryall, about 5.30pm on Friday.

Bridport and Charmouth firefighting crews were alerted to the incident.

A spokesman for Bridport Fire Station said: "Bridport’s off road CAFS (foam) ready appliance and our water carrier along with Charmouth Fire Station's appliance were mobilised to a harvester on fire near Ryall.

"Luckily the incident was in a field near to a house with a hose pipe.

Quick thinking by the farmer prevented a large-scale fire and isolated the damage to a small area on the harvester. Crews used one hose reel jet and a thermal imaging camera to check for hot spots."

Charmouth Fire Station added: "Luckily the quick-thinking of the farmers and drivers, who grabbed a hose pipe from a nearby house, prevented this from becoming a lot worse."