A FIRE at a Malvern farm is expected to cost the owners around £1,600.

Police are appealing for witnesses after 600 hay bales were set alight near Archer's Cottage, Poolbrook, at around 4pm on Sunday.

Two youths were seen in the area, one in a red shirt and the other in a yellow shirt. Police are treating the incident as arson.

Owners Doreen and Charlie Williams said that there had been three similar fires at the farm over the past few years.

Mrs Williams said: "We think it's the kids who mess around there. We've had problems in the past but this took us by surprise."

The hay was cut in July and was being stored in the barn for winter. Anyone with any information, should call the police on 08457 444888.

In a separate incident, a fire at Magna Carta Farm, Credenhill, Hereford, damaged £60,000 of hay bales on Saturday. Roads in the area were closed and electricity was turned off temporarily.

In August, arsonists were blamed for the loss of six acres of corn in a field off Mayfield Road, in Malvern.