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Farmers played 'vital role' in stopping crop fire

Chloe Hughesin Shropshire
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service A firefighter with a yellow helmet and brown overalls is spraying a charred area of crops with water. the crops have been damaged by fire. in the background there are farm vehicles including a green tractorShropshire Fire and Rescue Service
About 30sq m (322 sq ft) of crops caught fire in a field near Market Drayton

A fire service has said the swift actions of farmers after a crop fire broke out in Shropshire played a vital role in preventing the spread of the blaze.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to Soudley, near Market Drayton, at 17:06 BST on Saturday, to reports of a standing crop fire.

The service said about 30sq m (322 sq ft) of crops were on fire, and farmers had used agricultural machinery to create a fire break around the flames.

A water bowser from the nearby farm was used to soak the area to make sure there were no remaining hotspots, it added.

Nobody was injured, the service said, and the fire was believed to have started accidentally while the field was being harvested.

"A big thank you to the farmers for their quick thinking and assistance, which helped bring the incident to a safe conclusion," it said.

The blaze was one of seven fires in the open that Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service attended on Saturday.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service A green and yellow tractor in a field of beige coloured crops is towing a cylindrical water bowser which is pouring water onto the field around a charred area of cropsShropshire Fire and Rescue Service
Farmers created a water break around the fire and then used a water bowser to damp down the area

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