Drone pictures reveal scale of huge field fire caused by combine harvester

Fire crews from across Essex and Suffolk were called to the incident on land off Harwich Road in Ardleigh, near Colchester, shortly after 2.30pm on Tuesday.

Engines from as far away as Holbrook and Ipswich's Princes Street stations were dispatched to the scene.

The fire started in a field in Ardleigh, outside Colchester (Image: Essex County Fire & Rescue Service)

Three large fields were affected by the fire, which spread in windy conditions across the road.

The fire was put out by 6.15pm.

Station manager Nick Singleton said: "Crews worked really hard under arduous and windy conditions to prevent the fire spreading.

"We had a thatched cottage and stables nearby and by putting a fire break in, we were able to prevent it from spreading to those buildings.

The north Essex field was left scorched after the incident (Image: Essex County Fire & Rescue Service)

"We’d like to thank our colleagues in Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service who sent a crew from Holbrook and two crews from Princes Street. We’d also like to thank the farmers who helped us on scene with their machinery."

The blaze is the latest field fire to break out in recent weeks – with a number in Suffolk being treated by police as suspected arsons.