FOUR youths are reported to have been seen running from the scene of a huge blaze which swept through a massive stack of straw bales on a farm in St Osyth.

The inferno broke out at Cockett Wick Farm, off Beach Road just before 1.15pm this afternoon.

Fire crews had to evacuate cattle from a nearby barn.

The farm is owned by Alan Hutley, who was at home at the time and raised the alarm.

The straw belongs to a tenant farmer.

Mr Hutley said: “I was at home at the farm having lunch.

“Someone called me to ask if I was aware of what was going on at the farm.

“He could see it from his house. 

“I called the fire brigade but someone else had already rung them.”

Mr Hutley added: “Apparently four people were seen running away – not children but young adults – although I didn’t see them.”

The haystack was made up of large straw bales contained in a roofless building with concrete walls.

Mr Hutley added: “It was all his straw for the coming winter so he had hardly used any of it.

“The fire hasn’t spread to any other buildings or put anything in any danger but if the wind changed direction it could have become more dangerous.

“The fire brigade will have to keep monitoring it to make sure  it burns itself out.”

Fire crews from Clacton, Frinton and Weeley tackled the blaze. 
Mechanical diggers were used to help firefighters contain the fire and remove the straw.

The bales were said to be completely alight when the emergency services arrived.

The brigade said the fire was out by 4pm. 

The cause of the blaze is being investigated.