SCORES of caravans were saved from destruction as a blaze caused thousands of pounds of damage at a Suffolk farm.Three caravans were destroyed and two others scorched in the fire at Hope Farm, Sproughton.

By Amanda Cresswell

SCORES of caravans were saved from destruction as a blaze caused thousands of pounds of damage at a Suffolk farm.

Three caravans were destroyed and two others scorched in the fire at Hope Farm, Sproughton.

Margaret Barber and her husband Kenneth, both 82, were alerted to the blaze by their neighbour – a senior fire officer.

The couple use part of their land to store 100 caravans on behalf of holiday-makers.

The three caravans destroyed backed on to the B1113.

Explaining the night's drama, Mrs Barber said: "Someone had come along the B1113 road and saw the fire.

"They knocked on the neighbour's door and said: 'Ring the fire brigade'. But my neighbour said: 'I am a firefighter.'

"I don't know how it started. It was nasty. But I'm pleased to say the caravans weren't near any buildings or houses.

"The fire brigade sent two engines and tackled it from both sides – the road and the farm.

"They reckoned the heat from the fire may have melted the overhead cables."

She said she was unsure whether the blaze might have been caused by an arson attack. She said she was keeping an open mind about the cause.

Two crews from Princes Street spent half an hour dealing with the 9.45pm blaze.