An angry farmer has slammed mindless arsonists for putting other lives at risk by setting alight to straw bales on his pig farm.

About 30 bales went up in flames on Wicks Manor Farm, in Witham Road, Tolleshunt Major, with Fergus Howie branding the culprits “absolute imbeciles”.

Mr Howie, whose family have run the farm for half a century, was alerted to last Thursday’s blaze at about 6.10am by employee Phil Whitney, who lives in nearby Brick House Road.

SEE THIS WEEK'S STANDARD FOR THE FULL STORY