FIREFIGHTERS saved a 55 acre field of wheat after a unit caught fire at a car breakers.

Around 40 firefighters were called to S and B motors at 4pm on Tuesday.

They were helped by a south west wind which took flames away from the crop off the Sheppey Way, Bobbing.

Two appliances from Sittingbourne were on the scene within minutes and were backed by crews from Sheppey, Strood, Gillingham, Medway and Rainham.

The open-fronted metal building housed engine parts and a stack of tyres.

Crews had to withdraw after a small supply of domestic fireworks in an adjoining shed started to explode.

No-one was hurt and the fire was quickly brought under control.

Station manager Daren Jenner, said: “The safety of our crews is paramount so we withdrew for about 10 minutes until the threat of fireworks and some cyclinders exploding in the shed was over.

“When we re-started operations, the firefighters worked extremely hard to make sure this potentially-dangerous incident was under control very quickly and they prevented it from spreading to a nearby field.”

S and B Motors operations manager Chris McGee praised firefighters.

He said: “Someone must have been smiling down on us because the wind was blowing in the right direction to stop the fire spreading to the field.

“It could have been a whole lot worse and I have only praise for my staff who swept into action.”

The cause of the blaze was accidental.