FIRE crews have been working through the night tackling a barn fire at Newton St Cyres between Crediton and Exeter.

The fire in the barn, which was full of hay, was reported by the farmer at 8.16pm last night, Friday, April 24.

Initially Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service sent two fire appliances from Crediton and a water carrier from Danes Castle in Exeter.

On arrival of the first crew the attendance was immediately increased by two more fire appliances, also from Danes Castle, for additional firefighting support.

Crews set to work firefighting but also had to assist the farmer with rescuing approximately 100 calves from an adjacent shed.

A Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue spokesman said that the calves were removed uninjured.

Firefighters remained at the scene and other support was also required, some with specialist appliances, from stations at Bovey Tracey, Honiton, Exeter (Middlemoor and Clyst St George) and Chagford.

The spokesman confirmed that the incident was scaled down to two fire appliances for a watching brief just before midnight.

This morning the North Tawton crew maintained a watching brief until it was relieved by a crew from Crediton.

The spokesman added: "Crews have used various equipment to tackle the fire and empty the barn of its hay, working alongside the farmer for the most effective way to control the incident.

"Fortunately we have been able to save the barn but not its contents and so the protracted nature of the fire has been around slowly removing the contents to an open field and allowing that to burn out, as the crews control and continually damp down the fire inside the barn to prevent it destroying the barn itself or from spreading to any other adjacent outbuildings.