Around 36,000 of chickens have died in a fire that broke out on a farm in Gelderland.

Two chicken sheds were completely burned out by the blaze in Buurmalsen, De Gelderlander reported.

Nobody was injured in the fire, which started at around 12.20am and took two hours to bring under control. Firefighters managed to save the farmhouse and a third shed that had been built more recently.

Farmer Gert-Jan Lagerweij told the newspaper: ‘Obviously I’m devastated. It will take a while for me to come to terms with what’s really happened.’

The fire service said asbestos had been released into the atmosphere from the fire. The cause is being investigated.