Video: Huge blaze hits Temple Newsam Farm

Firefighters battled to save dozens of pregnant cows after the blaze at at Temple Newsam Farm in Leeds.

An off-duty firefighter out walking his dog is believed to alerted his colleagues to the blaze, which tore through a huge hay barnlast night.

The fire took hold at around 7pm and fire crews were still on the scene this morning as they fought to stop the flames spreading to adjoining farm buildings.

Last night they separated around 40 pregnant cows which were being housed in a nearby building.

No animals are understood to have been harmed and the cows were safely relocated to the farmyard as the fire was contained.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Group Manager Richard Veti said: "We managed to get all the cows out as we tried to save that building they were being housed in. Unfortunately the hay barn and its contents are lost.

"We are currently working on the assumption that this is arson and that local youngsters are involved. I don't know if this was a deliberate arson or if this was an accident as they were playing in the hay. But if there were children in there and they had fallen between they hay bales, they would not have got out."

Parts of the farm date back to 1694, with some of the more modern buildings added in the early 20th Century.

The farm has grown to be the largest working rare breeds farm in Europe, with more than 400 animals including cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and poultry.

Onlookers Rev Ian Black, of St Mary's Church in nearby Whitkirk, said: "We saw the fire from home and we were extremely concerned as to what had happened. We were very worried that it might be the house or the rare breeds centre but it's the hay barn. This is obviously very serious but it could have been a lot worse."