Firefighters will today continue to monitor a barn blaze that broke out near Halstead last night while it burns out.

Crews were sent to the scene in Robinhood End, Toppesfield just after 5pm yesterday.

The barn, which measured approximately 20m by 30m, was full of hay and a number of cylinders.

In total, six fire engines – including one from Clare in Suffolk – and one bowser were requested to help tackle the fire.

The bowser is a specialist fire vehicle with a large tank of water and it was needed due to the remote location of the incident.

At 7pm yesterday, fire crews reported that the blaze was under control and that only 30% of the building was still alight.

By 8pm the incident was scaled down to four fire engines.

This morning the brigade confirmed one fire crew was expected to stay on site for the rest of today to monitor the fire while it burned itself out.

Three fire vehicle attended from Halstead and one each from Wethersfield, Clare, Thaxted and Braintree.

The cause of the fire has been recorded as accidental.