South Yorkshire Times, December 5th 1970

Hay Stacks Lost In Swinton Blaze

An estimated 200 tons of hay — stockpiled for the winter — was destroyed early yesterday morning (Thursday) when fire wrecked two Dutch barns at Racecourse Farm, Swinton.

The alarm was raised at 3.30 am. when people living near the farm at Golden Smithies Lane, saw flames leaping from the roofs of the barns

Farm manager, Mr. Dennis Broadhead, said, “By the time the fire was spotted, the barns were well and truly alight. When the fire broke out, the farm was deserted.” When firemen arrived at the farm, they broke open the door to the farmhouse in order to evacuate any occupants who might have been inside. Mr. Broadhead’s aunt, Mrs. Nelly Robinson (76), who lives at the farm, has been in Mexborough Montagu Hospital for several weeks suffering from a broken leg.

Heavy Damage

Also destroyed in the blaze was one of the farm’s three tractors and a trailer. Mr. Broadhead said between £10,000 and £15,000 damage had been caused.

Mr. Broadhead, who lives at the family’s other farm, threequarters of a mile away, arrived at the blaze half an hour after the firemen had found that neighbours had opened to the cow shed doors to let 30 cows into the fields — away from the blaze.

He said, “The cows were panicking in the smoke. It is lucky the fire did not start on Saturday because we were ‘’going to move some of the cows into the yard alongside the barns.”

As it happened, the only discomfort suffered by the cows was that they were milked three hours later than usual. ““The big problem now is to try to get some hay for the winter. We have enough to last ‘us until Christmas but hay is very expensive this year and I’m not sure where or when we will be able to get some,” added Mr. Broadhead