TWO people were burned as they tried to tackle a hay fire in Dunton.

Four people also taken to hospital suffering smoke inhalation following the blaze in a hay shed at Lower Dunton Road at about 4.15pm last night.

Station Officer Geoff Wheal, Corringham Fire Station said members of the public should not try to fight large fires themselves but wait for the fire service to arrive.

He said: "These men were hurt attempting to tackle the fire. Incidents like this show how important it is to get out and wait for fire crews to arrive. We have the training and protective equipment to deal with fires properly and in attempting to tackle a fire themselves people are only going to end up getting hurt."

The fire was in a shed measured three by eight metres.

Ten percent of the straw was alight and the shed was 100 percent smoke logged. Crews wore breathing apparatus and used two hose reels to extinguish the fire by 17:38hrs.

The four people suffering from smoke inhalation and were placed in the care of the Ambulance Service.