FIREFIGHTERS have been working through the night to contain a major barn fire.

Crews from Maidenhead, Windsor, Slough, Langley, Crowthorne, Wokingham, Wokingham Road and Ascot fire stations, supported by crews from Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, were called out at 10.48pm last night to a burning hay barn on Stroud Farm Road, Hollyport.

The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said that over 1,000 bales of hay are believed to be burning.

Due to the sheer quantity of burning material, the barn remains burning at the time of publication (10am).

Four fire engines attended to contain the fire, assisted by a water bowser from Gerrards Cross. They were relieved by another four fire engines at 4am this morning.

A spokesman from Maidenhead Fire Station said: "There is just so much burning hay it is difficult to dampen it down. It's more of a containment effort at this point.

"The cause of the fire is unknown, and it remains under investigation."

Crews from Langley, Wokingham Road, Ascot, Windsor and Maidenhead are continuing to tackle the blaze.

Slough Fire Station urged residents to continue to refrain from lighting bonfires, explaining that the brief spell of rain had done little to make such activities safter. Most of the water has simply been absorbed into the ground, meaning much tinder-dry material remains.