A total of 13 people interested in a career as a Shropshire firefighter attended a “taster” session at Prees Fire Station.

Four women turned up to the event organised by Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service which wants more women to join its ranks.

Attending the session were women aged between 23 and 54 including a Market Drayton farm manager, a prison service employee, residential care worker and a netball coach.

They learned what it takes to join the county’s 300 plus “on call” fully trained firefighters who deal with around the clock emergencies.

Employees who have made an “outstanding” contribution to Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service were recognised at the Celebration of Success event.

Group Commander Mark Donnelly said: “We want to recognise the achievements of members of the organisation who, through their hard work and diligence, have made an outstanding contribution to the service over the last 12 months.”

Chief Fire Officer John Redmond presented a number of certificates to members of staff.

Word is spreading about a successful scheme helping to transform the lives of Shropshire employees with dyslexia.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, with a higher ratio of dyslexic staff than the 10 per cent population average, is one of a few public sector organisations to run a support programme acclaimed for changing the lives of staff with dyslexia and Meares Irlen syndrome.

Shropshire firefighters joined colleagues from around the world to commemorate the 30,000th sounding of the Last Post at Belgium’s Menin Gate in honour of the missing war dead in WW1.

Firefighters at Wellington and Shrewsbury fire stations stood to attention as two county buglers played the Last Post at 7pm – the same time as firefighters have sounded the tribute every day since 1928.

Firefighters and civilians alike who put their lives at risk to save others were praised for their selfless acts at an awards ceremony held in Shropshire.

Three binmen who rescued an elderly couple from a burning car were  honoured alongside firefighters, some who braved terrorist bomb attacks in the 1980s and also fought the largest fire in UK peacetime during a 30 year career with Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.