Both retired and serving Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service personnel supported surge testing for coronavirus in Leek in a bid to prevent a rise in cases.

Personnel were at the town's fire station on the A523 Springfield Road from 9am on Thursday last week lending their support to the Staffordshire Local Resilience Forum (LRF), and continued their support on the Friday.

They have been on hand to lead, co-ordinate and provide resources into the surge testing programme; specifically the dropping off and collecting of home test kits in the Leek area. They have also supported the delivery of 1,570 coronavirus vaccinations.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service's Chief Fire Officer Becci Bryant said: "We have delivered other Covid-19-related activities across the county to date, however, and the opportunity to make a bigger contribution to supporting the Leek Moorlands community was not to be turned down.

"These activities fulfil our purpose: to make Staffordshire the safest place to be.

"I know it is deeply appreciated by the Local Resilience Forum and our partners that we are stepping up to provide this additional support, and I remain exceedingly grateful to our personnel for everything they have done and continue to do to support our communities at their time of greatest need."

According to the government's website, surge testing means increased testing - including door-to-door in some areas - and enhanced contact tracing in specific locations in England. It involves testing of people who do not have any symptoms of Covid-19.

Rich Williams, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service's Station Manager for the Covid Tactical Cell, said: "We'd like to say thanks to all who have offered to support the surge testing in Leek. Any support, no matter how small, is making all the difference."

Andy Buttery, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue's Retired Staff Welfare Network Volunteer, said: "Members of the Retired Staff Network, who spent their working lives serving the communities of Staffordshire, have been volunteering for a range of organisations during the Covid pandemic.

"When a request came from the Fire and Rescue Service for help with the vaccination centre in Leek followed by the surge testing, a number were only too willing to step forward to continue to support the residents of the county and will be prepared to help out in any future campaign to help the fight against this virus and ultimately to save lives".