Little Totham: Six horses rescued as barn blazes

The fire started in a barn and was prevented from reaching a nearby stable block

Six horses were led to safety after a nearby barn, containing 50 tonnes of straw, went up in flames.

The fire broke out in Little Totham, north east of Maldon, Essex, on Thursday evening.

Due to the remote location, the county's fire service brought in a water bowser to tackle the blaze in the 40m x 20m (130ft x 66ft) barn.

Crews prevented the flames spreading to the nearby stables and the horses were led out of the area, unharmed.

The fire was still being tackled at 21:30 GMT on Thursday night, and Essex Fire and Rescue Service said: "Due to the amount of straw and materials inside the premises, we expect this to be a protracted incident and crews expect to be at the scene for some time."

Fire crews said the barn was 50% alight when they arrived

The barn contained tonnes of baled straw as well as agricultural equipment