A West Sussex barn was burned to the ground after bales of straw inside were set alight.

Flames consumed up to 100 tonnes of straw in the barn off Bines Road, Partridge Green, after the blaze took hold at midnight.

Up to a dozen firefighters from Steyning, Partridge Green and Worthing tackled the flames.

At one point the fire was believed to involve a toxic cocktail of chemicals from stored fertilisers and asbestos in the roof, but it was later confirmed that no asbestos was involved.

There was no livestock in the barn and no one was injured. The blaze is thought to have been started deliberately.

A fire brigade spokeswoman confirmed the fire was believed to be of "doubtful origin".