HUNDREDS of piglets are thought to have been killed and hundreds more suffered the effects of smoke inhalation in a fire in a Helmsley pig-rearing unit.

Six fire appliances were called to the isolated farm, Baxtons Grange, at about 2am today.

Fire crews put out the blaze in under 30 minutes but, despite their efforts, many animals were killed. Local vets were called to the scene to treat injured animals. The single-storey unit housed 100 sows and about 900 piglets.

Sub officer Steve Ferry, from Malton Fire Station, said officers tried to catch as many of the loose animals as they could.

"There were piglets running around all over the place. I think at one point I had three in my arms.

"We were just putting them into big wheelbarrows as we caught them."

He added: "A lot of them were burned to death. Those that weren't dead but badly hurt were humanely put down.

"The farmer thinks 80 to 100 of the sows have gone - how the piglets will survive without their mothers I don't know."

Assistant divisional officer Roy Ashman said by the time firefighters got to the farm the fire was already burning fiercely.

"There were a number of animals wandering about, and farm hands were carrying piglets," he said. "Many of the animals were dying. It was an upsetting call-out."

The cause of the fire has not been identified.

Updated: 11:09 Tuesday, December 24, 2002