A PIONEERING campaign to attract more ethnic minority groups to a career in the fire service will begin with an awareness day next month.

It is the first time Redditch fire station has hosted such an event aimed at the town's ethnic minority population.

Posters will be drawn up and fire chiefs will work with ethnic minority group leaders, including Redditch Pakistan Community Forum, to ensure the day is a success.

Fire station officer Mark Preece said: "During the day we will show what the fire service can offer and the role of the firefighter in local communities.

''Many people from ethnic minority groups have skills and attributes to bring to the service and are more than capable of pursuing a worthwhile career."

During the day, potential recruits will have the chance to see what a typical day as a firefighter involves, including the variety of community fire safety work which they do.

Visitors will also be able to take part in the standard fitness tests.

The event will be on Sunday, September 22, a week before the station's general recruitment campaign begins.

Station officer Preece said the station had held similar awareness days to attract women to the fire service, which had been successful.