A SUSPECTED arson attack at a farm in Burton, Christchurch has destroyed a large quantity of hay and animal feed.

Fire crews were called to a Burton farm in Summers Lane at 8.25pm on Monday evening.

A Dorset fire service spokeswoman said the fire was believed to have been deliberately lit and an investigation was under way.

Around 10 fire fighters attended the blaze, which was left to burn out under the supervision of the farmer.

He used two tractors to spread the hay bales, with crews helping to damp them down.

Eyewitness Darren Crain, who was photographing wildlife in a field nearby when the fire broke out, spoke to the farmer at the scene.

Mr Crain said: "Unfortunately the fire was the farmer's winter feed."

He added: "With this dry weather farmers are struggling to feed their stock at the moment as there is limited grass so this is quite a blow to the business.

"It was very hard for them to watch their livelihoods go up in flames."