Thousands flee blaze at fireworks display

A Halloween fireworks display at a Staffordshire farm was brought to a sudden end when a blaze broke out in bales of straw.

About 2,000 visitors were forced to leave the event and 40 cows were evacuated from a barn as flames threatened to spread at Lower Drayton Farm, between Penkridge and Stafford.

The farm had been staging a Halloween Spooktacular fancy dress event on Saturday. It finished with a display by Stafford-based SP Fireworks at 7.30pm.

About 25 firefighters attended at 7.56pm as the fire put farm buildings and a metal lorry container full of fireworks at risk.