A FIRE which broke out among 1,500 tonnes of hay at a Sheppey farm early yesterday was still burning today.

Six fire engines initially tackled the blaze at Elliotts Farm in Harty Ferry Road, Harty, after a member of the public called the brigade just after 3am yesterday. The cause of the haystack fire is still being investigated, a Kent fire brigade spokesman said.

Today one engine was still on the scene, spraying down the the sides of the haystack to stop radiated heat from setting nearby conifer trees alight.

Last month hot weather is believed to have caused a fire which destroyed a barn at the same farm. The barn was full of baled straw.