An Oswestry farmer today thanked firefighters for saving his farm and home after a huge blaze destroyed a barn on his property that contained hay for winter feed.

Edwin Ashley said he could have lost everything in the blaze at Craig Wen Fawr Farm, Nantmawr.

Firefighters spent more than 16 hours tackling the fire which broke out on Thursday evening.

The huge blaze destroyed more than 300 tonnes of hay and a tractor, but Mr Ashley said the loss would have been greater if firefighters had not been able to contain the fire to the barn.

He said: “They did a great job. I would like to thank all of them. How they contained the fire only to the barn was fabulous. If they had not been able to do that, the whole farm and the house would have gone up.”

Mr Ashley, who lives at the farm with his wife Samantha, 10-year-old son Eric and nine-year-old daughter Carla, also thanked neighbours for coming to his aid.

His son and a neighbouring farmer saved 30 cattle when they ushered the animals out of the blazing barn.

About 30 neighbours arrived at the property after the blaze took hold to offer assistance.

Mr Ashley said: “I would like to thank them all. They were great and did everything they could to help.

He said the loss of the hay and tractor was a blow to his business, adding: “The most important thing was that nobody was hurt. We had stored all the hay for winter feed and litter for the animals. It will cost a lot of replace it.”

Mr Ashley added: “We were really pleased how much hay we had harvested this year and thought what we had would help us through the winter.”