Farmer thanks neighbours for help in containing West Bilney combine harvester fire

A farmer has today thanked neighbours for helping to contain a fire that started in a combine harvester on a field next to the A47, and damaged 50 hectares of land.

The blaze in West Bilney, near King's Lynn, which started at about 4pm on Sunday, was tackled by 10 fire crews and a water carrier.

Farm workers joined forces with 45 firefighters to dig fire breaks to stop the blaze spreading. No-one was injured.

Arable farmer Richard Eyre said: 'It could have been a lot worse. The smoke could have spread across the A47.

'Luckily, it was contained within our boundaries. We did not lose a tree or a bush. The combine harvester caught fire and set the field alight. 'It was like an inferno. I thought the woods were on fire when I saw it.

'We don't know why it caught fire, maybe some chaff got caught in the exhaust.

'I would like to thank Toby and Hamish Wales, farming brothers from Marham, who used a cultivator to put fire breaks around it to stop it spreading. The fire service was also very good and stayed until late on Sunday.'

He said 50 acres of land was affected, and added: 'Thirty acres of standing crop, barley, and 20 acres of straw that had already been cut. The combine harvester is worth about £50-60,000. We are insured for the lost crop.'

A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said it was scary. 'It was getting very close to us,' she said.

It took about one hour to put out the fire.