THEY are normally called out to spray water on fires.

But these lads from Farnworth Fire Station took a break from battling fierce flames and instead braved the rain -- to wash cars.

Twenty firefighters rolled up their sleeves and dipped their hands into buckets of soapy water.

Their task? To wash 1,000 cars by teatime to raise funds for their New York colleagues caught up in the terror of September 11.

For five hours on Saturday, the lads hosed down a whole host of cars in Asda's car park in Farnworth.

Fire crews thanked Year Eight pupils Amy Openshaw, Gemma Rothwell and Jenna Timmins, all from Little Lever High School, who designed special signs to attract motorists.

The day followed previous fund-raising attempts at the Ellesmere Centre, Walkden, and at Tesco in Horwich where they raised £4,000.

Sub-officer Mike Sutherland said: "The rain didn't put them off because we all know the money is for a very good cause.

"We wanted to do something different to just shaking a bucket and the response we got was fantastic. We can't thank people enough."