FIREFIGHTERS had to wait while a blaze took hold on land the size of eight football pitches, destroying corn and two sheds.

The firecrew from Strood answered the call to Binney Road, Allhallows, on the Hoo Peninsula on Friday. Sub-officer Ian Crouch said: "By the time we got there and realised we needed assistance, we had to wait for the other three pumps to arrive.

"When we got there it wasn't too bad, but then the wind picked up and the fire started to spread rapidly. A few days is all you need of really hot weather for a fire to be able to spread like that. "

Medway and Thames-side firefighters arrived but water resources were stretched because the main supply is quite far from the field. The cause of the fire is under investigation but it is believed it was started deliberately.