MORE than a dozen firefighters spent six-hours battling a hay-fuelled barn fire on the outskirts of Southampton last night.

The blaze, at a farm near Curdridge, saw 1,000 tonnes of hay and three tractors go up in smoke and took 16 firefighters and three engines to get under control.

Crews were called to the fire at Lower Wingfield Farm on Wingfield Lane, late last night and spent most of the night fighting to put it out and dampen down the embers in the 30m by 20m barn.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue say no cause for the fire has yet been traced but an investigation into how it started has been launched.