A RETIRED racehorse trainer says he was nearly smoked out of his home after a blaze destroyed hundreds of straw bales at his farm on Bonfire Night.

Police will investigate the blaze at Howard Johnson’s farm, but could not start their inquiries yesterday beause the straw was still smouldering, nearly 24 hours after the fire was reported.

Two fire crews from Crook and a third from Durham City were called to the blaze at about 6pm on Monday at White Lea Farm, in Billy Row, near Crook, County Durham.

Fire brigade manager Steve Wharton said the 200 bales, each weighing about a tonne, were well alight when the crews arrived.

He said that because of the location of the farm, there was limited access to water, so firefighters focused on stopping the blaze spreading.

Mr Wharton said straw fires can carry on burning for hours.

Firefighters remained on the scene until 11.20am yesterday, and the road between Billy Row and Old White Lea was closed for most of the night and morning.

Mr Johnson said youths were to blame, and said one of his workers saw a gang of about eight youths believed to be in their late teens near the site acting “in a drunken way”

shortly before the blaze started.

He said: “Thankfully, the fire was well-contained by the fire service, but with the way the wind was blowing, my wife Sue and I were very close to being smoked out of our own home.”

Mr Johnson said up to 30 bags of sileage had also been destroyed, and he is awaiting a visit from an insurance assessor to determine the value of the damage.

Last night’s fire at his home farm is the latest in a series of misfortunes to strike Mr Johnson in the past few years.

In August 2006, Mr Johnson suffered a dislocated shoulder and facial injuries after being attacked by two men near his farm.

He was back at work shortly afterwards and said at the time he wanted to forget about the assault and get on with work.

In October 2009, thieves stole six gates worth £800 from his farm, which nearly resulted in 200 sheep being let loose.

The theft took place hours after one of his star horses, Inglis Drever, suffered colic and had to be put down.

In December 2009, a fire that started in a sauna cased extensive damage to a cottage on Mr Johnson’s farm where his daughter and her family lived.

No one was injured, but two pet gerbils and several fish died.

In April 2010, two armed robbers held Mr Johnson and his wife at gunpoint after bursting into their home before making off with £100,000 from the safe.

The couple offered a £10,000 reward and the crime was televised on BBC’s Crimewatch.

In August last year, Mr Johnson quit horseracing in response to being banned from the sport for four years after being found guilty of running a horse after it had an illegal operation and training horses that had been given prohibited drugs.

He offered to go on the Jeremy Kyle show to prove his innocence.