POLICE are treating a major fire in Newland as suspicious after barns holding 4,500 bales of straw caught alight on Saturday, September 3.

Flames engulfed the Monksfield farm barns, in Malvern, at around 1am yesterday, with the fire continuing throughout the day.

Workers finished six weeks of packing the bales into the barns less than 12 hours before the blaze.

The landowner says the straw may continue to burn for a fortnight, as he thinks a quarter of the bales in the middle of the barns have yet to catch fire.

The incident was reported at 1.19am and up to 25 firefighters attended the scene, off Worcester Road.

Fire investigators are working to establish how the blaze started but police believe arson could have caused the flames, which erupted at around 1am.

Geoff Bott, owner of the farm, said: “We have been hauling this stuff in for six weeks. We finished at three yesterday.

"I thought ‘that’s a job well done’. It was absolutely full to the roof. It was nice straw, bright and golden.

“I bought the farm in 1976. One of the barns was only built 18 months ago, I never expected anything like this to happen.

“I don’t think anyone could have done anything to it once it was alight. I think one barn will burn for the fortnight.”

The 80-year-old landowner says he was alerted about the fire at 1.10am and was surprised to see both of the barns ablaze when he arrived.

Mr Bott, from Guarlford, Malvern, described the fire as unexplainable as there were no electrical systems in the barn.

Mike Green, a worker at the farm, said: “We had just finished packing all that straw yesterday.

“Geoff rang me at 2.34am and I got here at 2.45. I moved the trailer out of the way of the barn and then just watched it.”

Mr Green added that the windows in a nearby bungalow had cracked from the heat of the fire.

Firefighters remain at the scene, off the A449 between Malvern and Powick, but are letting the blaze go out by itself.

One of the relief firefighters at the site said adding more water to the flames would make the fire last longer.

A fire service spokesman says the barns cover an area of approximately 2,500 square metres.

Elizabeth Lee-Crowther, from Pins Green, Worcester Road, phoned the fire services at 1.20am, after she was awoken by the fire.

"I heard weird noises, it sounded like gun shots. I was in shock as we were very close to it," she said.

"We are staying in our caravan in the garden as our house is being rebuilt and my partner ran around the front and told me to call the fire brigade.

"He filmed it and ten minutes later the fire brigade arrived."

Paul Bird, another Worcester Road resident, said: “They have just finished packing all of the bales. It’s a bit gutting.

“I went to work this morning and left at quarter past eight and there was still six meter high flames coming out of the top.

“The barn itself has to be six to seven thousand square foot and has slowly been sinking down where it’s got hot.

“It was half two in the morning when the police woke me up. They knocked on our door making us aware of what was going on.

“The police officer said ‘just to let you know there’s a fire behind your garden’. I looked through the back door of my garage and there was a massive fire over the field.”

A car boot sale took place next to the site despite the ongoing fire.

An eyewitness said: "The fire was right behind Powick car boot. The car boot appeared to be carrying on, everyone is totally unconcerned but it was totally alight."

A police spokesman said: "We are looking at it from an arson perspective."

Several police vehicles were sent to the scene with some remaining to assist traffic.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service sent four fire engines to the incident, two from Malvern and two from Worcester. 

The fire service also dispatched a water carrier from Ledbury.

Stuart Crebbin, Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service station commander, said: "Upon arrival fire crews were faced with a significant fire which posed an immediate risk to a nearby house, parked vehicles and a number of farm buildings. 

"I would like to thank our firefighters and colleagues from the police and ambulance who are dealing with this incident, especially those who worked hard throughout the night in hugely challenging conditions."

A police spokesman said: "West Mercia Police worked closely with colleagues in the fire service to ensure the safety of any people at the site whilst the fire was alight.

"Officers are conducting a robust investigation to establish the events leading up to the fire and are in the process of speaking to witnesses and those affected by the incident as enquiries are made, including all reports of loss of property."

A fire service spokesman said smoke pouring from the scene led to repeated reports about the fire throughout the day.

No one was injured in the fire.