A farmer stopped a field blaze from spreading by hopping on to his tractor and ploughing round the flames to create a firebreak.

Martin Carr prevented the flames from reaching a 250-acre Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Farmhand Mark Atkins took off his shirt and beat the flames with it until the fire brigade arrived.

Firefighters praised their efforts. A brigade spokesman said: "Their quick thinking prevented a much more serious fire."

The blaze, which destroyed two acres of stubble at Balsdean Farm, Rottingdean, Brighton, is thought to have been started by children.

Mr Carr, 27, said: "It began in an old bomb crater and came up out of there. My guess is that kids were responsible.

"It was fairly breezy at the time and flames would have spread right across the field and into the SSSI. I decided to create a firebreak round it and jumped on the tractor - it is very quick."

Mr Atkins, 26, discovered the fire as he tended sheep in a nearby field.

He had recently returned from Australia, where he worked on farms and helped tackle field and forest fires.

Mr Atkins said: "I saw the fire and phoned Martin. While I was waiting I took my shirt off and beat out some of the flames.

"When you've fought outbreaks in Australia, where it is really dry, it becomes second nature to you do what you can."