NINE pregnant sows had to be rescued from a slurry pit by firefighters on Sunday.
Two fire crews from Okehampton were called to Blagrove Farm, near Germansweek, just after 11am.
The nine fully grown sows, all of which were pregnant, had become trapped in a large slurry pit inside a farm building.
All nine pigs were rescued using a hydraulic winch. Station officer Ian Donovan said the rescue had been undertaken in ?extremely difficult conditions? with firefighters having to don dry suits and harness the sows to enable them to be winched to safety.
Station officer Donovan said the owners, who were in no way blameworthy for the incident, had been very helpful throughout the protracted operation which was made difficult by the large quantity of liquid slurry involved.
Firefighters were at the scene until around 4pm.
l A home and barn near Okehampton were gutted by a fire which started early on Saturday morning (February 28).
Two fire crews from Okehampton and one from Hatherleigh were alerted to the blaze at Oatnell Farm, at Thorndon Cross at 4.30am.
They arrived to find the 60ft building under development well alight but used three hosereel jets to get the fire under control. However, the blaze destroyed almost all of the roof.
Firefighters used two sets of breathing apparatus and water was supplemented from a nearby river. Firecrews were at the scene for around six hours.
The fire is being treated as suspicious by police who are continuing investigations.
l Firecrews from Okehampton, Chagford and North Tawton all helped tackle a large blaze which swept through an isolated thatched cottage near Hittisleigh.
The fire at Parsonage Farm, was reported at around 1.20pm on Monday.
At the height of the blaze, ten fire appliances from across mid and East Devon were at the scene, including two appliances from Okehampton, and crews from Chagford and North Tawton.
The elderly homeowner, thought to be in her 80s, apparently noticed the fire when the TV programme she was watching suddenly cut out. She then got out of the house and was attended to by neighbours. The cause of the fire is uncertain.
The isolated farmhouse, in a steep valley, proved challenging for fire crews to reach.
Firefighters were unable to enter the cottage for fear it might collapse. They used ladders to reach the smouldering straw, which was heaped in the garden and left to burn under supervision.
Eight sets of breathing apparatus were used to bring the fire under control.
Crews also used nearby stream water to douse the flames and two water bowsers had to be used for extra water to supply the hoses.
The property was seriously damaged by the fire, and crews were still on standby on Tuesday afternoon to make sure fire hot-spots did not re-ignite.