Firefighters battled through the early hours today to save farm animals and buildings when a barn caught fire.

A tractor and 50 tonnes of straw were well alight by the time the fire crews arrived at the scene.

Crews battled to save the rest of the farm and 40 animals including sheep, cows and a donkey had to be moved to a safe area.

They came from as far away as Shoreham to fight the blaze at Holt Farm in Shipton Green Lane, Itchenor, near Chichester at 1am.

The single-storey building was gutted by fire and the damping down operation was continuing this morning.

Police and firefighters are investigating the cause of the fire, which is being treated as suspicious.