Up to 50 firefighters battled through the night to control a barn fire.

Seven fire crews as well as five specialist teams were called to a barn fire in Brambletye Lane outside Forest Row at just before 7pm last night.

Half of the 30 metre by 40 metre barn, which contained several flammable and potentially dangerous chemicals including three flammable cylinders, 2000 litres of spilt diesel, 100 kg of sulphur and asbestos in the barn’s corrugated roof, was on fire when firefighters arrived.

Environment Agency and Water Board officials were also called to the scene because of the potential risk from the barn’s contents.

The operation was scaled down at 11.15pm last night but crews remained on the scene through the night and into the morning to monitor the aftermath.