AROUND 35 firefighters have been dealing with a fire at a field in east Dorset on Saturday afternoon.

The fire at Sixpenny Handley involved 4.9 hectares of corn and straw and was reported to the fire service at 12.50pm.

Multiple fire crews from Dorset, Wiltshire and Ringwood attended the incident which is now being scaled back.

A Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were called to a field at Sixpenny Handley at 12.50pm today for approx. 4.9 hectares of standing corn, cut stubble and laid straw well alight.

“Crews attended from Blandford, Salisbury (x2), Shaftesbury, Wilton, Ringwood and Gillingham, together with small 4x4 appliances from Fordingbridge and Ferndown, and a support vehicle from Devizes – approx. 35 firefighters.

“The stop came in at 2.28pm, and we are now scaling back to just two fire engines and the two small appliances to continue damping down.”