TENBURY firefighters are now front runners in the race to rescue people who have been involved in serious road traffic accidents.

Thanks to a unique leasing arrangement with German manufacturers Clan Lukas, the Tenbury firefighters are the first in the country to have the use of the latest on-board heavy rescue equipment.

The equipment has been specially designed to handle vehicles that have been involved in major traffic accidents.

In a recently negotiated 10-year agreement, the Clan Lukas 'speed for life' power-assisted dedicated cutter, spreader and hammer, has now been made available to the Tenbury crew.

The new equipment is capable of coping with the wide range of vehicles that have been involved in collisions and boasts separate, single-handed power tools that can be used by firefighters.

The Tenbury crew are the first in the Hereford and Worcester Fire Service to have use of this new equipment.

Tenbury Fire Station officer David James said: "This is a very good deal for everyone. The Tenbury Brigade can now respond to accidents knowing they have the very best up-to-date equipment on board.

"Before we took delivery of this equipment, we had to rely on a combined cutter and spreader.

"We now have two independent pieces of specialist equipment that will spread and cut into any vehicle, from a small car to large heavy-duty goods vehicles," he added.

The new equipment arrived at the station on July 1 and Tenbury firefighters have been training how to use it for the past three weeks.

The new equipment features high pressure bags for lifting and raising vehicles of all shapes and sizes that have involved in collisions.

Demand for the impressive, on-board firefighting facilities puts Tenbury crews at the forefront of emergency response and not just in the immediately locality.

The specialist appliance is now on call to cover road traffic accidents and similar emergencies in the Worcestershire towns of Stourport and Bewdley.

Tenbury residents will have the chance to see the new specialist equipment when the town's fire station holds its annual open day in August.