ABOUT 60 PIGS have been killed after a huge fire ripped through a farm building near Market Drayton today.

A team of up to 25 firefighters were called out to deal with the blaze at a farm in Westcott Lane, Goldstone, Cheswardine, which broke out at 4am.

They were expected to remain at the farm for most of today damping down and making sure the fire does not spread any further.

Fire chiefs said the blaze completely destroyed the building, which was used for housing sows.

Investigations have now begun but a spokesman for Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service said it was too early to say what the cause of it was.

Farmer Geoff Saville said he had been left devastated by the incident.

He said: “We are first generation farmers and this is our first farm

“We are gutted – we did have about 400 pigs but now we have about 340

“It could have been a lot worse and the firefighters have been brilliant. It could have spread to other buildings.

“We don’t know the cause of it yet. It was a new building and the electrics were fine.”

Mr Saville said he was going to wait to hear the verdict from fire investigators before deciding on his next move.

Roger Smith, watch manager at Market Drayton fire station, said: “The building was well alight when we first arrived

“It was quite a big fire and it has destroyed the building

“It is very distressing for the owner. They have lost about 60 sows

“It wasn’t a barn, it was a purpose-made single storey building for breeding pigs and measured 50 metres by 10 metres.

“About 20 to 25 fire fighters attended the scene at its peak. We got the fire under control after about an hour.

“After we got the fire under control we were engaged in damping down and protecting surrounding buildings.

“It is too early to say what the cause of it was and we are waiting for a fire investigator to have a look at some point today.”

Crews from Market Drayton, Newport, Oswestry and Prees attended the scene and used three main jets, two hose reel jets and two large portable pumps to put out the blaze.

By James Pugh