DARLINGTON Fire Station gave a warm welcome to a diverse group of visitors recently.

People from the Jewish community gathered with Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, refugees and others to enjoy a morning with the fire service.

Around 40 people from across Darlington benefited from safety advice while youngsters were given the opportunity to use fire hoses.

The event was organised as part of the Celebrating Communities initiative, established in a bid to bring together people from all backgrounds and cultures.

Cllr Gerald Lee said: “We believe if politics and religion are put to one side, the remaining values are shared by people across the world, such as family, honesty, friendship, freedom and trust.

“We feel that if people can simply meet and spend time together, suspicion and distrust between those of different religions and cultures will diminish.

“Accepting these simple concepts, we organise events and invite people from across the religious divide to join us .

“Our last event saw people meet together on a very wet Saturday morning, but the rain was quickly forgotten and replaced by smiles and laughter.

“Lots of fun was had by the little ones, particularly when they took charge of the hose pipe with who knows how many gallons of water spurting out.

“Seeing the joy on the faces of adults and the happiness of the children all playing together is what Celebrating Communities is all about.”

For more information, visit Celebrating Communities Darlington on Facebook.