Two boys, aged 12 and 13, have been arrested after a blaze ripped through a barn in central Somerset this weekend.

More than 20 firefighters from Street and Glastonbury spent part of the bank holiday weekend dealing with the fire, which destroyed the barn and its contents on Sunday.

Fire engines from Street and Glastonbury raced to the scene at 4.40pm to find the fire ripping through the barn.

"As soon as we got the call, two fire engines from Street and Glastonbury went to the barn on Meareway, on the outskirts of Glastonbury," said Suzie Izzard, a spokeswoman for the fire and rescue service.

"As the barn was already engulfed, more pumps and a water carrier was needed, so crews from Wells and Bridgwater were also needed."

There was also help from the farmer, who used a mechanical digger to try and remove around 100 tonnes of straw and hay from the barn, in a bid to halt the flames.

"At about 9pm, the incident was scaled down to a two pump relief crew from Taunton and Wells, but we were on site until the early hours of the morning," said Ms Izzard.

Dave Turner, station commander at Glastonbury Fire Station, said: "We were on the scene within minutes of being called out – I think there were about 25 firefighters there in all.

"Thankfully, there was no livestock in the barn at the time, and nobody was injured, but there was approximately 100 tonnes of straw and hay in there, so it went up very quickly."

A spokesman for the police confirmed the blaze was believed to have been started deliberately and that two boys from the local area had been arrested.

"Two boys, aged 12 and 13, have been arrested and released on bail pending further enquiries," he said.

"We would urge anyone who was in the area at the time of the fire and may have seen what happened to contact the police on 0845 456 7000."