Police are investigating exactly how a field of crops in Margate caught fire yesterday afternoon.

Firefighters from Margate, Ramsgate, Thanet (Westwood), Herne Bay and Sandwich were called to the incident near Dane Valley Road, Margate, at around 4.45pm.

Crews spent more than an hour takling the blaze with beaters and portable hand pump equipment.

An unspecified amount of standing barley was destroyed.

Mick Smith from Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: "It was very hard work for the first hour, but we managed to get the fire under control and by around 6pm we were able to leave two pumps to damp down the field."