250 pigs killed as barn is destroyed in blaze

Nearly 250 piglets and sows died in a farm fire believed to have been started by an electrical fault.

Firemen were called to the barn blaze at the farm in the village of Normanby, near Pickering, North Yorks at 12.30pm on Saturday. A spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said crews managed to save 20 piglets and two sows, but a total of 246 were killed.

Crews from Kirkbymoorside, Pickering, Helmsley and Malton battled the fire for nearly six hours.

The building was completely destroyed, the spokesman added.