A SECOND barn in Compton has been destroyed in a fire just 11 days after arsonists attacked one nearby.

Both barns – in Gropers Lane which connects Marldon with Ipplepen – started in the dead of night.

Fire investigators were visiting the scene of the latest blaze this morning to see if it was the work of arsonists.

The hamlet has suffered a disproportionate number of suspicious barn blazes over the last few years.

More than a dozen firefighters from Torquay and Newton Abbot tackled the most recent incident with the alarm call going out at 2.47am today.

Crews, with the help of the affected farmer, were able to rescue a combine harvester and move it to a place of safety.

They also managed to recover numerous large bags of fertiliser using a fork lift truck.

The barn, measuring 40m by 25m, contained some 200 tonnes of straw which went up in smoke. It was well alight by the time the emergency services arrived.

One main jet was used to stop the spread of flames. The fire was allowed to burn out under controlled conditions.