Youngsters had the chance to become a firefighter for a day as Bolton Central Fire Station staged its hugely successful open day.

The fire station opened its doors to thousands of people for its annual event.

Visitors enjoyed a whole host of activities, including games, rides and stalls, while emergency services demonstrated their skills.

Bolton Mountain Rescue Team showcased their rope skills while firefighters carried out a mock road traffic collision demonstration.

The event raised money for The Firefighters Charity.

 

The Bolton News:

Bolton Central Crew Manager, Chris Spary, said: “The day  went very well, thousands of people flocked to the station, we haven’t seen that many people there for a long time.

“We had a huge variety of things happening, including a firefighters experience which was a last minute addition, where younger children got dressed in fire kit and crawled around hazards in the dark in a scenario we set up.

“That was probably the highlight, they were queuing up throughout the day.”

He continued: “All the other services got a lot out of it, especially St John Ambulance who currently have a campaign called Three Ways To Save a Life.

The Bolton News: A rope demonstration from Bolton Mountain and Rescue Team. Image: J Media Group PressA rope demonstration from Bolton Mountain and Rescue Team. Image: J Media Group Press

“They teach as many people as they can first aid and CPR. They set a new record for St John Ambulance, with 800 people in a day trained in first aid and CPR.

“St John Ambulance are made up of trained volunteers, they spent six hours or so at the fire station, they worked relentlessly and put a lot of effort in.”

The Bolton News: CPR training being given by St John Ambulance. Image: J Media Group PressCPR training being given by St John Ambulance. Image: J Media Group Press

Read more: Bolton Central Fire Station stage open day

Chris said: “We raised approximately £1000, we’ve got a few things to tally up but it’s going to be around the thousand pound mark.”

“It was a fantastic day, and the weather was quite nice, which was good for us.

“I’d like to thanks everyone who made our open day possible, and also the public who attended the event on Saturday.

“I’ll always recommend people check their smoke alarms regularly and to visit Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s website for safety and recruitment information.”