A blaze which ripped through a barn at a farm in Bradford is being treated as suspicious.

Police and fire officers are carrying out a joint investigation into the fire, which could be seen for miles and caused severe damage to the barn and its contents.

The blaze broke out in the pre-fabricated building shortly after midnight yesterday at the farm in Cliff Hollins Lane, East Bierley.

Five fire crews were called out – from Cleckheaton, Odsal, Batley, Bradford and Stanningley stations – and it took them four hours to put out the flames.

A fire service spokesman said 50 per cent of the barn was on fire and severe damage was caused to two tractors, a Land Rover and mechanical equipment. Hay being stored there was destroyed.

The spokesman said firefighters faced the added hazards of asbestos and liquid petroleum gas cylinders in the building, but they managed to stop the flames spreading to other farm buildings. They also rescued a number of chickens in the barn.

The spokesman said: “The fire is still under investigation but it is being treated as suspicious and we are working with the police on it.”

Odsal crew commander Ian Turner said: “You could see the fire from Odsal. You could see it for a fair distance.”

He said when they got there, the building was “fully involved in fire” and took about four hours to put out.

Crews stayed there throughout yesterday morning, damping down to make sure the flames did not reignite.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said they were asked to close the road in both directions while firefighters were tackling the blaze.

He said scenes-of-crime officers had been requested at the site and inquiries into the blaze were ongoing.