DAVID Hunt was on duty as normal as a firefighter in Green Watch, Worcester, when the full force of the floods was felt.

He and his fellow crew members didn't know what would face them when they were called out, but they ended up taking part in several major rescue operations.

"It was more unusual than our normal duties but this isn't your everyday job," he said.

"Your thoughts are for people who are trapped.

"You had to get them out.

"We guessed we would be carrying out rescues, it was just a matter of finding out where.

"There was awful lot that weekend."

Green Watch spread itself around the city and, by the end of the flood crisis, had rescued people from all over Worcester.

Residents from Diglis Avenue were carried to safety, visitors to the Severn View were rescued and residents of John Gwynne House, South Quay, were also brought from out of the cold and wet.

"We took around 20 from John Gwynne House," said the firefighter.

"That was probably the most memorable for me.

"They were very grateful but more concerned with where they were going and worried about their pets and whether things were turned off.

"They were leaving their homes and they didn't know for how long. Some wanted to stay."

Mr Hunt's colleague, Adie Lancaster, took part in one of the city's most memorable escapes when he carried a German tourist to safety from the first floor of the Severn View Hotel.

"It was very good to watch," said Mr Hunt.

"He did really well. Walking through water's really difficult anyway but the dry suits we wear hurt your ankles with the water pressure.

"I don't see what we did as heroic, it's just our job."

Philip Harvey divides his time between repairing fire engines and being a retained firefighter, but during the autumn and winter of last year he found himself reviving the role of flood rescuer.

Mr Harvey, who was awarded the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours, took part in the dramatic rescues of the Easter 1998 floods.

"There were more people in need of us then because it was a flash flood scenario," he said.

"You never expect anything like it.

"It was pretty horrendous and there were floods on main roads as well as by rivers."

Mr Harvey is a sub-officer in the Worcester retained unit. They are a back-up crew to the full-time firefighters.

"This is a team game, we all do a good job," he said. "I couldn't have done anything without the team.

"But I've no doubt we'll do it again this year."