Latest on Sheppey Barn Fire

Firefighters are still at the scene of a massive fire in Leysdown over the weekend

Kent Fire and Rescue have told Heart they still have 20 firefighters at Old Ridge Farm on Leysdown Road after it caught light in the early hours of Sunday.

At the moment, the cause is still not down.

At the height of the fire people in Leysdown and Eastchurch were advised to stay in their homes and close all windows and doors as a precaution.

3000 tonnes of baled hay and a tractor with a trailer caught light and it took a hundred crew members to get it under control.

Because the barn is known to store ammonium nitrate, a chemical used in fertiliser which can explode when heated, fire crews initially set up a 400 metre exclusion zone.

Initial officer in charge, Area Manager for North Division Steve Jeffery said: “Our fire crews, the farmer and our partners worked incredibly hard to bring this difficult incident under control and should be praised for ensuring the safety of members of the public nearby.

“Hay bale fires are renowned for spreading rapidly and can be very difficult to manage, however firefighters have worked tremendously hard to bring it under control.

“Because of the quantity of hay stored in the barn and the rate that it is burning, we expect that this fire will continue for the next four to five days. We will maintain a watching brief until the scene is safe enough for us to get into the fire and break up the hay bales with machinery."