UP to £10,000 worth of damage has been caused to a barn following an arson attack.

Rubble is all that remains at the site of the mainly-wooden barn, which was used by Elaine Craig to store fencing, shovels and hay bales for her horses in Howden-le-Wear.

Things could have been worse had the horses been nearby, or if the family's two cats had been inside.

The barn was set alight at about 7.20pm on Monday, and, despite firefighters quickly arriving at the scene, it was soon destroyed.

"It's a nightmare," said Ms Craig, who has owned the barn for about six years.

"I heard a really big bang at the door. I had just been in the bath and was in my dressing gown.

"My neighbour came and said, 'Elaine, your barn is on fire'. I just put my slippers on and ran out and there it was.

"There's nothing there at all now, just a few bricks. It held about 400 bales and it was perfect. Now I've got nowhere to put my hay and straw."

Ms Craig plans to erect another barn, but admitted she was frightened in case it was set alight again.

She and her two daughters have put up a reward for information leading to a conviction.

PC Alan Boyd, of Crook police, said the damage was being treated as suspicious.

He said: "We are looking at up to £10,000-worth of damage.

"The fire brigade have confirmed it as arson.

"They can't say how it started but it's definitely a crime."

Anybody with information can contact PC Boyd at Bishop Auckland police on 0845 60 60 365.