Terry Mansell amongst the ruins of his barn which burnt down destroying his business

RAYDON: A thatcher has today been forced into early retirement after an inferno raged through his barn, destroying his livelihood.

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Vintage machinery, tractors, a van, ladders, tools and 1,000 bails of water reed went up in flames after a suspected electrical fault caused the fire which tore through the barn in Shelly Road, Lower Raydon, near Hadleigh yesterday.

Terry Mansell, who has been a thatcher for 32 years, said he was making a cup of tea when a neighbour knocked on his door at about 7.30am alerting him to the blaze, which could have been started by squirrels.

“I first noticed something was up when I couldn’t switch the kettle on,” he said. “The electrics were out and then a neighbour knocked on my door to say he had spotted the barn on fire.

“It was the electrics, it could have been started by squirrels chewing through the wires.”

For Mr Mansell the fire spells the end of his career after losing more than £50,000 of tools, reed, machinery and vehicles.

“I don’t even have a ladder,” he added. “I can’t believe it, just like that, everything has all gone.

“I am now unemployed, I won’t start up again, it would take too long and cost too much. This is it, early retirement for me.”

He praised the fire service for their work, helping to salvage some tools, and neighbours who have come forward in his time of need.

Simon Hurst, station manager for Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters were met with a “well developed” blaze, engulfing the barn,

He said they worked to stop the flames spreading, salvaged some tools before fighting the flames.

Crews from Hadleigh, Sudbury and Princes Street fire stations were sent to the scene. They battled the fire which had taken hold of about 80 per cent of the wooden building with a corrugated iron roof.

Two LPG cylinders were removed from the building and cooled. The fire was out and the incident was under control by about 6.30pm.