“IT’S a terribly sad day for Netherton”.

The words of a number of shocked onlookers after Monday night’s massive blaze at Hinchliffe’s farm.

Large crowds gathered at roadblocks close to the farm complex on the edge of the village as fire crews from all over West Yorkshire were called to fight the blaze.

About 90 firefighters, from 10 fire stations, were involved in tackling the incident through the night.

For many of the onlookers the sadness was compounded by the fact that they or their relatives worked at the busy shop and restaurant.

By yesterday morning the extent of the damage was starting to become clear.

The farm shop – famed for its butchery department – had gone and the Old Farmhouse restaurant and tea rooms was gutted.

Fire crews managed to stop the blaze spreading to sheds housing many of the farm’s animals.

Some of them carried goats, chickens and other creatures to safety as the flames spread rapidly, fanned by a strong wind.

The blaze at the Netherton Moor Road site, known as Sunnyside Farm, broke out shortly before 10pm.

As well as the fire crews, specialist appliances were brought to the scene as firefighters faced a battle to get water to the site.

Police shut roads in Netherton, Magdale and Honley to allow water to be pumped from hydrants and the River Holme many hundreds of metres from the farm site.

Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders were discovered at the scene and they had to be cooled to prevent explosions.

Watch manager Andy Wooler, from Huddersfield fire station, said the blaze was eventually brought under control around 3am on Tuesday.

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“It was a very serious fire which started in the shop and quickly spread to the restaurant,” he said.

“We managed to save most of the animals on the site.”

Richard Murphy, of Netherton Moor Road, was one of the first on the scene.

He said: “I live just up the road from the farm and my mother, who lives two doors down, ran to tell me it was on fire.

“All I could see were flames shooting out of the back of the shop and then it spread so quickly.

“A lot of people from the village work there – Netherton is Hinchliffe’s farm. It’s a very sad day for the family and for the village.”

Fiona Higgs, of Moor Lane, said: “I saw one fire engine and then another race past my window. I then saw the police and looked out of the bedroom to see all the black smoke.

“It looked as though it started in the back of the shop but it seemed to spread very quickly to the restaurant.

“You could see people carrying animals out. They got the two older alpacas into the field above the farm and also saved the baby.

“It’s such a shame. My family have known the farm family for many years and saw them build up the business after a bad fire many years ago.”

Tom Royle, of Magdale, said: “I saw the smoke pouring over the woods and drove up the road.

“We managed to get near the farm and could see the fire at the back of the shop. There was strong wind and it fanned the flames, which shot 40 feet into the sky.

“It didn’t seem too bad at first but then seemed to grow very quickly.”

A steady stream of people continued to gather outside the farm throughout yesterday to see for themselves the extent of the devastation and to offer their support.

Vicki Vergette, from Holmfirth, keeps chickens bought from Hinchliffe’s.

She said: “It’s absolutely devastating, I feel so sorry for the family.”