NEW Forest firefighters are in it for the long haul with 12 of their watch managers clocking up 375 hours of service between them.

Long standing watch managers from some of the 11 retained fire stations in the New Forest group include Steve Coles at Fordingbridge who has amassed 39 years, Kevin Morrison at Ringwood with 30 years and Graham Tucker at Burley who has given 36 years of service.

New Forest Group Manager Steve Foye, said: “After 18 years as a firefighter in London moving to a post in rural Hampshire has given me the opportunity to gather new skills and experience with a new team.

“It is a real privilege to work with the retained crews across the New Forest and I am continually impressed by the leadership and commitment given by the watch managers in running their stations. Hampshire is a top performing fire and rescue service and when you witness first hand the dedication of these watch managers you begin to understand why. The team spirit they share reinforces the real sense of belonging to a community.”