Central Hawke's Bay farmers John and Rosie Tylee are coming to grips with the loss of their woolshed which was destroyed yesterday by a fire which could have started as much as two hours before it was reported.
The fire on the Paget Rd property was reported by a passer-by at 4.41am but the shed had been destroyed by the time volunteer firefighters arrived from Ashley Clinton, Takapau, and Norsewood.
"It's affected me quite a lot," said Mr Tylee, who was expecting to have his two-tooths shorn in the next few days, having just shorn the five-year-olds last week.
While he and his wife have been on the property just 12 years, he said the shed "my pride and joy really."
"I've spent a lot of time in that shed, and I've always been careful to turn things off, tidy-up the dags and that sort of thing."