NINETEEN sheep have died and a shed has been destroyed after a fire at a farm near Cumbria, but luckily no people were injured.

Wayne Hutchinson, who farms a flock of Swaledales at Brigg, Ravensdale, with his parents, Harry and Mary, said that it was suspected the fire was caused by an electrical fault occurring at the back of the shed.

In total, 60 sheep were in the shed, as well as some straw and bales of hay, when the fire started. After the alarm call, firefighters worked tirelessly to ensure all of the sheep were evacuated, and to salvage some of the straw and bales.

"Although we managed to get all of the sheep out alive, sadly, 19 of them, which were wedders, have since died due to smoke in their lungs," said Mr Hutchinson. "Our vet is coming out to assess more of them over the weekend, but hopefully the remaining sheep will survive.

"Thankfully we are insured, so we just need to take a look at the damage and start to repair everything."

At one point, four fire engines were in attendance at the fire, and the area of the fire was still smouldering four days later – however, Mr Hutchinson explained that the biggest inconvenience was the 'faff' involved with dealing with the aftermath of the fire.

He said: "It was just a bit of a nuisance, really. I would encourage all farmers to remain vigilant, and ensure that stacks of bales are not touching one another, and make sure they are insured – it's very important.

"We are just so glad that nobody was hurt, and we are so grateful to everyone who got in touch to wish us well and to offer their support and help us in the aftermath."