by Tricia Jamieson

Children were camping just yards from a barn fire which destroyed 1,500 bales of hay.

They were attending a Pony Club camp at Acrise, near Folkestone when the blaze, which is being treated as arson, broke out in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Fire crews have been praised for stopping the flames spreading to a diesel tank and other property at Ridge Farm, Ridge Row.

Children at the Pony Club camp were sleeping in tents in the same field as the barn when the fire started at 1.15am.

Susan Goddard, who lives at the farm, said they have not had any problems on the farm before. She could not put a value on the damage until insurance assessors have been.

The hay in the barn was winter feed for the farm's cattle and horses.

Fire crews were at the scene damping down until about 2pm Thursday.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 01303 289180 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.