A TRACTOR was destroyed after it caught fire in a field near Bridport early yesterday evening.

Fire crews from Bridport Fire Station and Beaminster Fire Station were called at 5:48pm on March 22 to the incident in Melplash - which also set fire to the surrounding grass.

A spokeswoman for Bridport Fire Station said: “One of Bridport's appliances along with Beaminster Fire Station were mobilised to a agricultural vehicle fire in Melplash which had also spread to surrounding vegetation.

Bridport and Lyme Regis News: Picture: Beaminster Fire StationPicture: Beaminster Fire Station

“On arrival the incident commander requested one small off-road vehicle and one heavy off-road appliance to attend due to the location of the incident. These responded from Beaminster and Bridport.

“The fire was extinguished using 2 hose reel jets and one CAFS (compressed air foam) main line. The tractor was destroyed but the grass cutter was saved.”

A spokeswoman for Beaminster Fire Station said: “Crews attended a large fire involving a Tractor and approximately 50m x 50m of grassland alight. The fire was extinguished using 2 hosereel jets and 1 Caffs jet from appliances and off-road vehicles.”