Residents in Leek and Staffordshire who have always wanted to become a firefighter have been encouraged to sign up for a unique opportunity.

The service is set to host three on-call firefighter taster sessions over the next month to give potential recruits a chance to find out more about what it's like to be an on-call firefighter in Staffordshire.

Retained Support Officer Michelle Dudman said: "Now Covid restrictions have eased, we wanted to host some taster days for people to see what being an on-call firefighter is all about.

"We'll have demonstrations to show what can be expected on a call out as well as job related activities such as assembling equipment and kit. There will also be an opportunity to have a go at the fitness side of the role too.

"While we are recruiting on-call firefighters at the three stations we're hosting the events at, we are also looking for firefighters in other areas too. So even if your nearest station isn't hosting an event this time, please feel free to pop along as the sessions will cover relevant information for those interested in joining other stations too."

On-call firefighters often have primary jobs and fit their responsibilities as a firefighter around their day-to-day commitments.

Michelle added: "Our on-call firefighters come from all sorts of backgrounds and a variety of other jobs, such as a personal trainer, a chef and funeral director for example. If you've always wanted to be an on-call firefighter, but were unsure how it would fit around your day-to-day life, this is the perfect opportunity to find out how it all works."

On-call firefighters are invaluable to the service as they provide a vital response service to their local community by attending emergency incidents.

Anyone interested in finding out more about becoming an on-call firefighter can find out more on the Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service website.