A farmer is devastated after a £200,000 arson attack on his land.

Jim Helyar watched as 200 tons of straw, an articulated lorry trailer and a barn were gutted in the huge blaze.

More than ten crews from West Sussex Fire and Rescue attended the fire.

Specialist units were deployed to Manor Farm, Eastergate, near Bognor, when firefighters realised the 30sq m barn where the fire is believed to have started was clad with asbestos.

It took eight crews from stations in Bognor, Chichester and Littlehampton six hours to extinguish the fire, which investigation officers say was started deliberately by malicious ignition.

Police are now investigating.

Mr Helyar, who has run the 400-acre farm for more than 40 years, is said to be devastated by the fire and his son Paul Helyar, who is now the main manager of the site, says the family are determined to help police catch the culprits.

Paul has estimated the damage at around £200,000 and says it is not the first time the farm has been the victim of crime.

He said: "If I add up the serial numbers given to me by police when I've reported a crime over the last seven years I realise I have 52 and it makes me very sad indeed.

"The barn was one of our main barns – it was steel-framed and clad with asbestos.

"We believe it was the victim of an arsonist and is now written off completely plus 200 tons of straw and an articulated lorry trailer.

"People have told us the sound of asbestos could be heard over a mile away in Walberton and neighbours here were showered in burning ash.

"We think the fire will cost us about £200,000 and we would like police to get to the bottom of who caused it."

The fire started at about 2.30am on Friday.

A spokeswoman from West Sussex Fire and Rescue said: "It was a big incident that detained 12 appliances for around six hours.

"We have noted the cause as deliberate by malicious ignition and fire investigation officers notified police of this at around 5am and will be working with them to take another look at the site as a scene of crime."

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “We are investigating the barn area as a scene of a crime.”

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