Firefighters used an excavator to break up a smouldering straw stack and stop the flames from spreading to a nearby barn in a village close to the border of Suffolk and Essex.

The blaze broke out on land off Toppesfield Road, in Great Yeldham, between Sudbury and Haverhill, on Sunday night.

Two crews were called from Halstead station to the scene of the fire, which involved about 50 tonnes of baled straw, at about 8.15pm.

Firefighters worked with a mechanical excavator to separate the stack and prevent the flames from spreading.

Crews were also able to protect surrounding risks to a barn and another large stack of straw.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said one of the two crews from Halstead returned to the station at 10.20pm, leaving the second crew at the scene until the fire had burnt itself out and the incident was deemed safe to leave.