ANOTHER barn fire has raged in Mid Devon causing the fire service to issue a warning about bales of hay.

The Tiverton blaze on Monday morning follows last week's ten hour inferno in Bradfield.

There were also barn fires on the same morning in Combe Martin and Axminster.

The Devon and Somerset Fire Service said: "The barn and 60 bales of hay were damaged in the Tiverton fire but fortunately some pigs were removed from the barn unharmed."

The report from the crew said that the barn had received 20 per cent damage, but that all the contents had been destroyed by the flames.

A statement from the fire service said: "Two appliances from Tiverton, one from Bampton and the Water Carrier from Exeter Danes Castle, were mobilised following a report of a barn on fire at the above location.

"Upon arrival crews located a fire within a barn of approximately 20m by 20m, containing bales of hay which were well alight. Crews set to work with two hose reel jets."

The crews were called to the scene at 8.44am and the last update came at 11.07am.

The fire service added: "The cause was confirmed as accidental and the incident has been handed over to the farmer."

In their warning to the public, the fire service said: "Generally, one of the areas of high risk is when dry and wet hay meets.

"The heat and humidity from the wet hay react with the dry hay and the insulation provided by the stack can allow a fire to start.

"Research suggests that most problems with spontaneous combustion start within the two weeks of the hay being stored, although combustion is still possible for a further six weeks.

"If your hay is a little too wet or green, you should start checking the stack after two days and continue daily for two weeks.

"The best way to check whether bales are overheating is to insert an extendable temperature probe or a thermometer on the end of some string into the middle of the bales."

This news follows last week's incident, in which crews from seven towns were dispatched to a fire which completely destroyed one barn and inflicted 25 per cent damage on an adjacent barn.