FIREFIGHTERS from across the county were today tackling a massive blaze which threatened to engulf a North Yorkshire farmhouse.

Almost 60 firefighters from North Yorkshire Fire Service were battling to prevent the fierce blaze from spreading from Dutch barns filled with hundreds of bales of straw and hay.

Ruth and Philip Pool and their children, Tom, three and Luka, 12, woke at around 4am today to discover the barns ablaze only metres from their home, Wyse House, at Old Malton.

A nearby workshop containing gas bottles and welding gear was also under threat from the fire.

Firefighters called to the scene pumped water straight from the nearby River Derwent to tackle the blaze, damping down a diesel tank containing three to five thousand gallons of fuel which stood directly beside one of the barns.

They were also dousing the workshop and the smoke-damaged farmhouse in an effort to protect both from the flames.

Mrs Pool, 34, said that the heat was already intense when they got to it.

"It was well alight by the time we got down to the kitchen from the bedroom to ring the fire brigade.

"The windows in the house are cracking and vehicles were locked up, so they could not be moved," she said.

Farm worker Alan Sword, asleep in a caravan in the farmyard, desperately tried to save the farm's lorry, but the vehicle was locked and was totally destroyed in the blaze.

Mr Pool, who works with his brother Tristan, and employs several other staff, has a large contracting business dealing with hundreds of farms and selling straw across the country.

The blaze destroyed around 400 tonnes of hay, 1,000 tonnes of straw and a range of farming equipment. Three of the farm's five balers were burned out, and a forklift truck, two tractors, a trailer, a lorry, the farm's own weighbridge and office were lost, along with the two Dutch barns.

Divisional officer Steve Cluderay from North Yorkshire Fire Brigade, said: "The main issue we had was to protect the surrounding buildings. With such a large fire it's almost impossible to know where it started."

Fifty-nine firefighters were needed to tackle the blaze, using eight pumps and several other vehicles.

Press Officer Terry Glover said they expected to take some time over the investigation.

"Initially there were thoughts it might be arson, but it transpired that a burnt-out trailer near to the buildings had been driven away by the farmer in an attempt to save it.

"We will be here most of the day if not into tomorrow but it's too early to say what happened."

Mr Pool, who moved to Wyse House in 1994, said it was difficult to see how they could find more equipment to carry on at this time of year. But he said the business would be back on its feet whatever it took.

Updated: 12:05 Tuesday, August 20, 2002