Soldiers' two-day training for fire role; CONTROL CENTRE IN USE AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS DURING STRIKE PERIODS.

Byline: JOHN WEST

DOZENS of Welsh Guards are now protecting the people of Warwickshire who have a fire or a road accident.

An emergency call centre at police headquarters in Leek Wootton is taking fire calls until 6pm tomorrow.

Seven Green Goddesses - built in 1956 - and four back-up vehicles are offering a limited replacement service for the usual 26 fire engines and 14 special appliances.

Lieutenant Corporal Robert Talbot-Rice, heading the armed forces in Warwickshire, explained there are 150 military personnel in the county's temporary firefighting team.

Navy and air force crews will man four special vehicles to be used which can help in more serious cases, and try and free people from car crash scenes.

He said: "All the crews have attended a basic course which lasted two days."

The teams have been out trying to familiarise themselves with the area. Traffic police officers will accompany every call out - using local knowledge to guide the crews.

The Leek Wootton response team is split into two, working 12-hour shifts and living on site.

Fire, police and armed forces have spent the past three months preparing for the fire strikes.

Assistant chief constable Bob Golding said: "We have a job in assisting the military teams. What the police are not here to do is fight fires."

CAPTION(S):

READY FOR ACTION: One of the Green Goddess crews based at Leek Wootton, Sgt Dai Matthews (front) with (back, from left) Lance Corp Andy Budd, Drummer Alun Read, Guardsman Nick Jenkins, Guardsman Gareth Turner and Lance Corp Jason Thomas