Villagers were asked to close all windows and doors last night as firefighters battled a large barn fire near Sudbury.

Firefighters were called to the barn fire in Gestingthorpe – a village between Sudbury and Halstead – at around 4.30pm yesterday evening.

On arrival at the property in Moat Street, crews confirmed that a barn, measuring 20 metres by 10 metres, was 100% alight.

Firefighters from Sible Hedingham, Halstead and Braintree worked to extinguish the fire for around three hours before leaving the site.

Residents who lived nearby were instructed to close all windows and doors while firefighters extinguished the fire and dampened down any hot spots.

Crews extinguished the fire by 7.41pm and revisited the area at 10pm.

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