FIREFIGHTERS were called out to deal with hundreds of tons of straw ablaze overnight after arsonists caused three farm fires within a few miles of each other.

Richard Cornwell

FIREFIGHTERS were called out to deal with hundreds of tons of straw ablaze overnight after arsonists caused three farm fires within a few miles of each other.

All the incidents are being treated as suspicious and are being investigated by police.

The first happened at around 12.30am today when a fire crew was called to 25 tons of straw bales on fire in Bardwell Road, Ixworth.

Ten minutes later they received another call to Bardwell Road at Sapiston, where 500 tons of straw was alight. Crews from Bury St Edmunds and Thetford and a water carrier from Newmarket attended and spent most of the night at the scene, damping down.

At 4am, there was a third fire - this time in Norwich Lane, Coney Weston. A fire crew from East Harling dealt with 200 tons of straw alight.

Elsewhere, crews also tackled a field fire at Shottisham, two areas of gorse, each 50m square, at Parkers Lane, Martlesham Heath, and a small area of grass on fire at Runnacles Way, Felixstowe.