A massive barn fire destroyed £10,000 worth of straw and hay.

Firefighters spent the day after the blaze keeping the fire under control at North Farm, Buckland Ripers.

It is the latest in a spate of arson attacks which have saddled Dorset farmers with thousands of pounds worth of damage.

Farmer Tim Swaffield dialled 999 when he noticed smoke and flames billowing from the barn when he got up by chance in the early hours yesterday.

He said: “I could see the flames. It was a fair old fire.

“This is mindless vandalism. I don’t understand people’s mentality these days – it’s unbelievable.”

Corn and beef farmer Mr Swaffield, 61, said: “I’m pretty annoyed. This has caused a lot of inconvenience to me.

“All my winter straw has gone. I don’t have a barn any more and I can’t buy one in straight away, I will have to get parts and it will have to be rebuilt.”

Two Dorset Fire and Rescue crews from Weymouth and a crew from Dorchester were called to the blaze at 2.40am yesterday.

A relief crew from Weymouth took over later in the morning to keep the fire under control.

Weymouth firefighter Roger Sarginson said the crew expected to be there for the rest of the day.

He added: “This fire has had a big impact on the farmer. There are about 90 tons of hay and straw which are used for bedding and the farmer can’t use the barn for storage.”

Crime scene investigators are probing the arson rtaid, which came days after an attack on a North Dorset barn fire.

One barn owner is so determined to catch the arsonists responsible for torching her barn that she has put up a £500 reward.

Pensioner Phyllis Ring is offering the cash to anyone who can provide information that will lead to the conviction of the arsonist who torched her barn at Whitehouse Farm, Motcombe, near Shaftesbury.

The 80-year-old said: “This is upsetting. It’s upset me to think that there are people around who can do this sort of thing. I couldn’t do a thing like that.

“It was a fairly new barn. I’ve offered the reward because it may stop them doing it again and help other people who have lost their barns.

“It’s so annoying and it’s such an awful thing to do.”

Mrs Ring, who lives four miles away from the fire at Guy’s Marsh, said the building was not insured and the barn’s roof would have to be replaced.

The straw inside, which was significantly damaged, belonged to her tenant.

PC Steve Coleman, of Shaftesbury Police, said police would like to hear from anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity at Whitehouse Farm between 5am and 7.30am on October 8.

He added: “This was a very dangerous and reckless attack that could have resulted in a far worse outcome.”

A Dorset Police spokesman said police were called out to Buckland Ripers by Dorset Fire and Rescue Service at 3.25am yesterday.

She said: “The fire is classed as arson. We received a report of a fire that had caused damage to a barn, straw and hay.

“We would like to hear from anyone who saw anything or anyone acting suspiciously in the area at that time.”

Anyone with information should call Dorset Police on 101 or the anonymous Crimestoppers number on 0800 555 111.

‘ENORMOUS DISRUPTION’ CAUSED BY FARM BLAZES

Will Howell, of National Farmers Union insurance company NFU Mutual, said: “These fires cause enormous disruption to farms and there is a considerable risk to the lives of animals and people – particularly if the fire spreads to other buildings.

“We often see a peak in arson incidents at this time of the year as many barns will have the maximum stores of hay and straw from this year’s harvest.

“Barn fires often lead to expensive damage which may be covered by an insurance policy.

“It’s not just the damage to buildings that need to be repaired but any delay in replacing the contents can lead to other knock-on effects.”