FIREFIGHTERS battled a huge blaze which raged at a West Dorset farm.

Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said it is thought internal combustion in the stored haylage may have sparked the blaze in the yard at Higher Hogleaze Farm, near Compton Valence on Friday night.

Two firefighting crews from Dorchester were alerted just before 6.50pm and due to a limited supply of water in the area a bowser from Bridport fire station was also sent to support the efforts.

Crews spent a few hours battling the blaze before it was handed over to Chris Roberts and his team from Hogleaze Haylage to allowed it to burn out under control. It was still smouldering on Saturday afternoon.

About 30 tonnes of haylage, a forage made for horses from grass, equivalent to about 80 bales, plus a hay baler were destroyed in the blaze.

Mr Roberts estimated the damage to the stock to be about £6,000.

He said the haylage, which was destined for customers in Dorset and the surrounding areas, had been stored since earlier in the summer at the top of his yard.

The fire comes after a particularly difficult season, which saw downpours in June and July play havoc with agricultural operations.

Mr Roberts said: “I’ve been bringing in straw over the last few days and storing large volumes before the weather broke. I had two JCBs running around unloading trailers and putting it away in the barn and whether a spark from one of them caught the stack, I don’t know.

“Internal combustion has been suggested by the fire service and I can’t dispute that but it’s not really certain what happened.

“What I can say is that it was a big fire. I’ve never seen anything like it; I was amazed how it took hold.

“We took some bales away from the end of the stack to try and stop it spreading but the wind was blowing hard.

“The firefighters did a good job. Because we’re in the middle of nowhere they had to bring in extra water.”

Mr Roberts added: “Forage has been short on the ground this year due to a bad summer.

“It’s very important for us to have a quality product and it’s been very difficult to achieve this year.”