Hero farm workers prevent spread of huge fire in York

Jay Loft, 22, and Cameron Bartram, 18, jumped in tractors to disc wheat fields close to Moor Lane and Askham Lane in Woodthorpe on Sunday (July 12), creating a fire-break and preventing the spread of a blaze which was rapidly advancing to nearby homes.

Meanwhile, North Yorkshire Police said it had arrested two teenage girls on suspicion of arson in connection with the incident.

Jay and Cameron were five minutes away from the fields owned by Russell Wagstaff and arrived before North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service at around 3.50pm.

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Jay said: “I was busy helping Cameron at a nearby site when I got a call about the fire.

“The owner was 45 minutes away from his field and we wanted to help.”

Jay and Cameron jumped in tractors, arriving minutes after receiving the call about the fire (Image: Supplied)

Video recorded from the tractors showed the fire just metres from the machinery as the quick-thinking duo raced to cut the crop.

Huge plumes of smoke swept across the area, resulting in near-zero visibility on nearby roads, with many motorists seen turning from the area.

Jay and Cameron assisted as numerous crews from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service extinguished the fire, which had then swept across and destroyed vast areas of field.

North Yorkshire Police closed Moor Lane and Askham Lane as emergency services worked to make the area safe.

Huge plumes of smoke swept across the area – forcing North Yorkshire Police to close Moor Lane and Askham Lane (Image: Jon Noble)

At 5.33pm on Sunday, a statement from a police spokesperson informed motorists that the roads had been reopened but members of the public were advised to continue avoiding the area.

Commenters have taken to social media to praise Jay and Cameron, with a video of Jay ploughing the field as the fire advanced receiving more than 4,400 likes.

Jay and Cameron were the first to arrive at the scene, preventing the fire from spreading with their machinery (Image: Jon Noble)

One read: “Well done to the farmers who put their own lives and machinery at risk.”

While another commenter said: “British farmers are not commended enough!

“Floods, fires they find a way through it all.

“A bunch of heroes in their own right. Well done to all.”