A FIRE at a barn in Slapton on Wednesday night left cows requiring veterinary attention.

Kingsbridge, Salcombe, Dartmouth, Modbury and Plympton fire engines were dispatched to Higher Green Cross, Slapton, at 8pm on Wednesday, October 12, after a barn containing straw caught fire.

Kelly Barons had cows in the barn at the time of the fire and said: ‘There were eight Dexter bullocks and two breeding bulls in there. Our neighbour Peregrine Aubrey called us to tell us the barn was on fire and after finding out there were cows in there he ran across the road to let them out.

‘They ran down the track and we put them in the field overnight and brought them into another building the next morning. They had their coats singed and one was badly burnt but they’ve had veterinary attention and they’re all OK now.’

Kelly thanked Peregrine for rescuing the cows and thanked the fire fighters who attended the scene.

The blaze in the 30x20m barn was extensive and the decision was made by fire crews to allow the barn to continue to burn, and hopefully burn out, while protecting the surrounding areas.

A spokesman for Kingsbridge Fire Station said: ‘Unfortunately, when a fire has set hold and burning as well as in the barn pictured, it is not always safe to continue to attack the fire directly.

‘At night, when visibility is reduced and risk of injury increases, the best option can be, as in this case, to control the burning rather than try to extinguish it.’

Fire fighters eventually left the scene at 10.30am on Thursday, 14 hours after they first arrived and after more than 40 crew had attended.