A LITTER of piglets were snatched from the jaws of death by firefighters while a blaze was tearing into a Milton Lilbourne barn on Monday night.

Two fire crews apiece from Pewsey and Marlborough dashed to Lawn Farm just before 10pm, as the fire, which was caused by an electrical fault in an extension cable, ripped through a four bay Dutch barn, destroying 60 tonnes of hay in the process.

Before the firefighters could tackle the towering flames, two sows and 18 two-week-old piglets, who were cowering in fear in the unaffected corner of the barn, had to be moved to safety, whilst chunks of the barn were being ravaged by the fire.

The two Marlborough crews left before midnight, after the fire was brought under control but the Pewsey crews remained in shifts overnight before extinguishing the flames with the water carrier and pump on Tuesday morning.

"The flames were huge, way above the actual barn and the smoke was hundreds and hundreds of feet high," said Rachel Rivers, 53, who has managed the organic farm along with her husband Andy, 60, for 20 years.

"We were sleeping at the time but then a neighbour of ours told us what was happening and we raced over as quick as we could.

"When we approached the barn we feared the worst. We were quite panicky. When we arrived the firefighters were already there, having been tipped off by a young couple, but we could not see the pigs at first so we thought they were dead.

"Thankfully though, they were huddled in the corner, and then the firefighters rescued them and moved them to a safe barn. One of the sows had their ear burned but otherwise everyone is fine.

"We are so grateful to them. They were just brilliant and they acted so professionally. This farm is very dear to us so to see it this way is quite sad, but the main thing is that everyone is unharmed."

The farm's owner, Gerald Osborne, said this was the first time the 1,000 acre-farm, which has 300 cattle and thousands of chickens, had suffered a fire. He does not know how much it would cost to repair the damage.

"I am hugely relieved that the livestock are not hurt and I am hugely grateful to the firefighters who managed the situation magnificently," said Mr Osborne, who was in London at the time of the fire.

Pewsey watch manager Mark Hillier and his crew returned again on Tuesday morning as a precaution as the hay was still smouldering.

"When we arrived at the scene shortly before 10pm, half of the barn was on fire, with the pigs sheltering in the corner on the other side," he said.

"The tough bit was getting towards it and then to free the pigs. Once they were clear, we took a defensive approach to keep the situation under control and then let the fire burn itself out.

"It was much safer to carry out what we needed to do during the daylight hours. Since 8.30am on Tuesday morning we have been keeping it under control."