Relief fire crews from across the Tyne and Wear brigade area were needed to help put out a large hay fire at a farm in Whitburn, South Tyneside, yesterday.

Ten appliances worked through the night to control the blaze, using half a mile of hose reels to maintain the water supply, after the blaze took hold in 600-tonnes of stockpiled hay at Lizard Lane Farm late on Tuesday.

It is suspected the fire was started deliberately.