Fire crews have shared the details of the barn fire that put the lives of 30 young cattle at risk in Nether Stowey in the early hours of this morning (April 30).

The fire was reported at 5.01am and on arrival, crews found a "rapidly escalating" barn fire.

Worse still, they found 30 young cattle in part of the burning barn.

A telehandler was in the same area.

Firefighters moved the cattle to another barn before then removing the telehandler.

South West Farmer: The barn alight. Picture: Nether Stowey Fire StationThe barn alight. Picture: Nether Stowey Fire Station

A spokesperson for Nether Stowey Fire Station said: "On arrival the incident commander set the crews to work with one attack jet, one compressed foam jet and a hose reel jet to knock back the rapidly escalating barn fire.

"Once establishing a 360, the incident commander found there to be 30 young cattle in part of the barn along with a telehandler.

"Crews quickly responded to this urgency and moved the young cattle to another adjacent barn and moved the telehandler out of the barn too.

"Two pumps from Bridgwater Fire Station along with the aerial ladder and water carrier soon arrived at the scene to help set up from open water using a light portable pump to establish a water source to the fire ground.

"Taunton Fire Station also attended this incident and quickly helped knock the fire back."

Read more: Cattle rescued from 'large barn fire' in Somerset village this morning

Crews surrounded the fire and set up ground monitors to help keep the fire under control.

They succeeded in containing the fire to one side of the barn.

South West Farmer: The fire was contained to one wall. Picture: Nether Stowey Fire StationThe fire was contained to one wall. Picture: Nether Stowey Fire Station

The incident then became a watching brief due to the amount of straw on fire, with the decision taken to let it burn in a controlled way.

The telehandler was used to turn the straw over and hot spots were dampened down.

A relief crew from Williton Fire Station gave support and by 1.30pm crews left the site.