THE owners of Roves Farm have accused electricity company engineers of taking two hours to arrive at the blaze.

The flames spread even after the fire service arrived because it could not operate its water-based systems until the power had been turned off.

The resulting blaze, which took hold last Wednesday, completely destroyed the visitor centre at the family-run attraction.

But suppliers Scottish and Southern Electrical denied the claim, saying its workers arrived after one hour and were initially turned back.

The farm said in its newsletter: “The fire brigade was here within minutes but was unable to operate its systems until the electrical power could be turned off.

“Astonishingly, SSE took nearly two hours to arrive (having eventually sent a team from Melksham) by which time the buildings had been destroyed.”

The fire began when SSE fuses on incoming mains overheated and set fire to the wood panel they were mounted on, the farm said.

Workers saw smoke coming from the area and extinguished the initial smouldering themselves using their own carbon dioxide fire extinguishers.

They then called SSE and the fire brigade, but it was too late to save the focal point of the attraction in Sevenhampton, near Highworth.

A spokesman for SSE said: “When the engineers did arrive, they couldn’t gain access to the area. The firefighters said that by that stage there was a safety issue, which we totally respect.

“The engineers had to go further up the power lines and turn off the electrics there. Our engineers were there after one hour.”

Asbestos in the building hampered the efforts of emergency services and led to council officials being called.

Workers concentrated on evacuating animals nearby while the area remained cordoned off. No one was hurt.

The Adver told yesterday how the farm’s owners are determined to overcome the devastating set-back. They will use other areas while the visitor centre is repaired, with the aim of opening up within three weeks.

Communications officer Pippa Burr and her father, Rupert, the farm’s owner, have been encouraged by hundreds of messages of support from the public.