A STUD farm owner whose stables were set on fire in a suspected arson attack said she is struggling to understand “why would anyone burn my horses to death”.

Barbara Joyce said the six horses who died in the blaze on Saturday were her “babies,” with her cat and a dog also killed.

The 69-year-old said she felt like “someone lined up my children and set them on fire and I watched”.

She said “there were smouldering bodies around” Kaybin Stud near Lewes, East Sussex.

Barbara said: “What could I have ever done to anyone? I have never hurt anyone.

“Why would anyone burn my horses to death? My old dog and my cat died in the fire as well.

READ MORE >> Men arrested after Lewes 'arson attack' kills six horses

“The barn was just a shell and there were smouldering bodies around.

“They were my babies. They would see me coming through in the middle of the barn and come to see if I had got them a snack.

“The stuff that’s gone doesn’t matter, but I feel as though someone lined up my children and set them on fire and I watched.

“We’re just in pieces. Why would anyone do that? I don’t know how someone could consciously set alight a barn full of horses. We are just reeling from it. My heart is in a million pieces.”

Among the animals killed in the fire was a show winning horse called Warwrick - who bagged three prizes at shows last year and was worth around £15,000.

The Argus: The barn was in ashesThe barn was in ashes

A 14-year-old pug cross, Dolly, and a tabby cat, called Tatiana, also died in the fire.

A GoFundMe has now been set up to help raise funds and replace the destroyed barn.

Ms Joyce told The Argus: “I feel so unbelievably cushioned and helped. The number of people that turned up at the farm to help clear the ash and hose the dirt.

“How do you thank people for what they are doing?

“People we don’t know are sending unbelievable amounts of money to build our barn and get everything up and running again.”

Police are treating the fire as suspicious and have arrested two men, aged 40 and 24, on suspicion of arson.

The Argus: A 14-year-old pug cross, Dolly, and a tabby cat, called Tatiana, also died in the fireA 14-year-old pug cross, Dolly, and a tabby cat, called Tatiana, also died in the fire

The suspects have both been released on conditional bail until February 13 while enquiries continue.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “Two men have been arrested after a fire at a barn in Lewes.

“Police were called shortly before 6am on Saturday to reports of a fire at a barn in the Rodmell area of Lewes.

The Argus: Police are treating the fire as suspicious and have arrested two men, aged 40 and 24, on suspicion of arsonPolice are treating the fire as suspicious and have arrested two men, aged 40 and 24, on suspicion of arson

“No persons were injured, but six horses tragically died in the fire.

“The fire is being treated as suspicious and two men, aged 40 and 24, have been arrested on suspicion of arson.

“They have both been released on conditional bail until February 13 while enquiries continue.”