A FARM worker suffered facial injuries when a bonfire raged out of control.

The blaze took hold of an area of gorse, 880 metres by 70 metres in size, on White Horse Hill near Osmington yesterday morning.

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service was alerted by a member of the public and Weymouth firefighters gained access to the site via Chalky Road, near Broadmayne.

A fire service off-road Land Rover from Bere Regis also aided the response.

Firefighters used hoses and beating to extinguish the gorse fire at Northdown Farm, which lies to the east of Sutton Poyntz below the White Horse.

Landowner Peter Broatch praised the fire service’s quick response.

He said: “The fire was a bit tricky to get to but they managed it in the end.

“Apparently they were there very quickly.

“The farm workers tried really hard to put it out with fire beaters but the grass was so dry it just caught.

“The controlled fire involved a bonfire but it went across the grass on to the gorse.”

Mr Broatch said the injured farm worker was not burned but ‘suffered a bit from the heat’.

He added: “He was fine and wanted to continue working.

“Luckily the fire was nowhere near the White Horse.”

Nearby landowner Paul Critchell, of White Horse Farm, said he was glad no one was injured and that the historic landmark had not been affected.

He said: “I saw there had been a fire but I assumed it was all controlled.

“At least nobody was hurt badly.

“I’m very glad it didn’t damage the White Horse because we’ve now completed our community restoration project and the next few weeks are quite important.

“We’re planning to have an official opening for the work, with it being the Olympic year.”

A fire service spokesman said: “The fire was originally the controlled burn of gorse in the area – however it became out of control.

“Two farm workers were led to safety by the fire crew, unfortunately one had sustained light burns to his face.”

The injured farm worker was treated at the scene by an ambulance crew.

The fire was under control soon after 12.30pm although firefighters remained at the scene for a short while afterwards to dampen the area down.