A fundraising campaign started to help farmer Gareth Howatson, who lost all his hay in the fire, smashed its target within a few hours
Police have questioned four teenagers following a farm blaze that caused up to £80,000 worth of damage.
Around 60 tonnes of hay burned for hours at Bryniau Farm in Llanrhos near Llandudno on Saturday evening.
Four crews from Colwyn Bay and Llandudno were called at 4:40pm on Saturday.
Firefighters spent much of today at the scene of the blaze, which completely destroyed a hay shed and was visible for miles around.
Farm tenant Gareth Howatson told how he found youths hiding in a nearby shed as the inferno raged
“Looking back, the youngsters could have been killed. Fire isn’t something to play with, and the consequences here could have been even worse than they are now.”
A North Wales Police spokesperson tonight confirmed four teenagers were assisting them with their enquiries.
Mr Howatson, who for the past eight years has rented the farm from Mostyn Estates, estimated that damage worth between £70,000 and £80,000 had been caused by the blaze.
He thanked locals for coming to his aid on Sunday morning to help start the clearing process.
“The shed’s been completely destroyed as well as everything inside it, including the straw that was being saved for winter,” he said.
“Thankfully, no people or animals were hurt, but its still a devastating thing to happen.
“I’ve had farmers and others coming over and offering to help in any way they could.
“It’s all very comforting despite the circumstances and I’d like to thank them all for their generosity.
“It’s a bit too early to judge the exact extent of the damage but some machinery has been damaged too.
“Replacing all the straw and grass, although not impossible, will mean having to go out and buy it now at a much higher cost.”
Friends of Mr Howatson have set up a crowdfunding page to help him replace the 60 tonnes of lost hay and straw so he can feed his animals.
Within just a few hours, the page had smashed its £300 target.
Hollie Williams, who set up the page, wrote: “Luckily all the animals are safe but they have lost all the food.
“The insurance will cover the loss but the animals need feeding now.
“A small bale of hay is £4. If everyone donated a bale, that would be amazing.”
According to the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, they have not yet established the cause of the fire, with some firefighters still on the scene late on Sunday afternoon.
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/police-question-teenagers-after-conwy-12136521
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