At top of the ladder!

West Yorkshire firefighters clinched the top two places in a challenging event.

The brigade's A and B teams were taking part in the Yorkshire and Humberside regional extrication challenge - and the B team won.

The teams were among 12 from the North who competed in the challenge at their own headquarters in Birkenshaw.

Each team had 20 minutes to get a casualty out of a car which was either on its roof, side or wheels.

They were judged on the command and control displayed by the officer in charge, the medical skills used by those in the vehicle with the casualty and the way in which space was created to get the casualty out safely.

The West Yorkshire B team was made up of Mick Brennan, Chris Atkinson, Tommy Burgess, Tony Pearson and John Wilkinson.

They are all from the road traffic collision department at Birkenshaw.

They were presented with a trophy and will go on to represent West Yorkshire in the national challenge in Cardiff on July 13 and 14.

Chris Atkinson and Tommy Burgess were also named the best two tool technicians in the competition.

Watch Manager Brennan said:

"Last year we gained accreditation to be an International Centre for Emergency Techniques.

"Most of the members of the winning team are international instructors and trained in pre-hospital trauma life support.

"It was thanks to hard work and practice that we were so successful in the competition.

"It is fantastic to be given the chance to represent West Yorkshire at Cardiff."

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service medic Simon Jennings will be one of the advisers in Cardiff.