A NEW breed of firefighting recruits are undergoing training on Teesside.

The trainees, who will be assigned to fire stations throughout the brigade area next week, are among the first in the country to take part in a new training and development programme designed to meet the changing needs of the modern Fire Service.

The 19-strong group complete their initial training tomorrow during a visit to speak to pupils at Egglescliffe Primary School.

There they will put their community fire safety knowledge and communication skills to the test.

Community education and fire prevention are the priorities for the new trainee firefighters, who have completed eight weeks' intensive training at the Brigade's Learning and Development Centre at Grangetown.

John Doyle, Chief Fire Officer at Cleveland Fire Brigade, said: "The demands made on today's Fire Service are much different from the time when our main focus was putting out fires.

"Prevention, protection and partnership working are our main priorities now."

The trainees, who are aged between 20 and 38, will spend up to two years developing the basic skills and knowledge they will need to be competent as firefighters in a service which now places its main emphasis on prevention, protection and intervention.