WOOTTON Bassett fire station is looking forward to welcoming more retained firefighters after a successful recruitment exercise.

The station has been seriously understaffed since the closure of the St Ivel factory, where several of the retained crew worked, but following a local media campaign the station has been inundated with potential recruits.

Station Officer Andy Hargreaves said: "We have had a fantastic response with people coming in to the station and asking what they could do to help.

"We are looking for averagely fit, smart people who are sharp and want to do something to help their community, and we have seen plenty of those down at the station.

"The situation had got so bad that we didn't have enough day cover to get the engine out, and we are hoping that these new recruits will be able to remedy that."

Forklift driver Martin King, 21, had always thought of joining the fire brigade. He said: "I wanted to join when I left school, but in those days there was a height restriction and as I am 6ft 8in I was too tall. Now that has been lifted.

"I really want to do something that will make a difference to people. My job as a forklift driver is fine, but it doesn't really make a difference to anything at the end of the day.

"My uncle is a fireman in Berkshire, and he always told me what a great feeling it is to save someone's life."

Terry Easterbrook, 43, of Gainsborough Avenue, Wootton Bassett, is a former RAF officer.

He said: "I actually went out on the Green Goddesses during the 1977-8 fire strike when I was still with the RAF, and I found such a sense of satisfaction that I seriously considered leaving the Air Force to join the service.

"I retired from the RAF three years ago and now work as an IT consultant, and I find I really miss the sense of team work. I want to help the local community and I think it will be great to be working with a really tight knit team again, and doing something really worthwhile."

Acting Sub Officer Mick Pinnegar said: "I have been really impressed with some of the people who have come along. You don't need to be superman to do this. It's more about the attitude that people have, an ability to deal calmly with difficult situations and work as a team.

"The teamwork here is completely different to any other job, when you go into a burning building wearing breathing apparatus with a mate, your life is dependant on that person that's not the type of team work you get on one day management team building exercises."