A BARN was destroyed by fire in Didcot on Thursday evening.

Two fire crews from Didcot were called at 7.24pm to Park Road where a large barn was ablaze.

Firefighters did not enter the building due to fears that there were propane gas bottles inside that could explode, but stayed on the scene battling the fire until 1.15am.

No one was injured but timber, hay and furniture stored in the barn was destroyed.

Gary East, who owns the property, which is part of a smallholding, said: “It’s a real shame. I built this with my dad Geoff 30 years ago, back when we had livestock here. Thankfully there are no animals any more so nothing was hurt.”

The maintenance worker said: “I was called by one of my dad’s neighbours who was just driving past and noticed it. I stood and watched it burn down for hours.”

He said he suspected children had started the fire, but police said the incident had not been reported to them.