INVESTIGATIONS are still ongoing to establish the cause of a huge blaze at a farm on the outskirts of Chester last week.

The fire broke out at Tile Farm on Wicker Lane, Guilden Sutton, at 2pm last Wednesday, leaving huge plumes of black smoke visible across the city.

Twelve appliances were sent to the scene and crews were confronted with a fire involving a diesel tanker and two buildings, including a barn containing animal feed and about 150 tonnes of straw and hay.

The farm building – about 150 metres by 80 metres in size – was well alight.

Firefighters fought the fire for more than 10 hours, finally finishing at the scene at 12.15am the next morning.

A high volume pump ended up using water from the nearby River Gowy while a foam tanker was also sent to help deal with the incident.

A spokesman for Cheshire Fire and Rescue confirmed investigations into the cause were still continuing as the Chronicle went to press.

Tile Farm is owned by the Arden family, who have been farming since the late 1950s, starting out on a smallholding at Church Farm in Christleton.

They moved to Tile Farm in Guilden Sutton in 1996.