HAY bales ablaze in a field near Maiden Newton caused dramatic scenes overnight.

Firefighters battled through the early hours of the morning to extinguish the flames at a farm around the area of Sydling St Nicholas.

A fire engine from Maiden Newton attended the fire, backed up by a landrover pump from Beaminster.

A spokesperson for the fire service said: "We were called just after midnight to a stack of hay bales on fire at a farm just off the A37 near Folly Hill.

"Crews extinguished the fire and were able to hand over to the farmer, who remained at the scene to keep watch overnight to keep the area safe while it smouldered."