AROUND 36 part-time firefighters are facing redundancy or a cut in their hours after a decision to axe two East Lancashire crews was confirmed.

Lancashire Combined Fire Authority yesterday rubber-stamped the decision to chop a retained crew from both Great Harwood and Barnoldswick, leaving both towns with only one retained crew.

Bosses at Lancashire Fire and Rescue said they could not rule out redundancies but hoped the majority of staff no longer needed could be re-deployed in roles such as fire prevention.

Steve Harman, of the Firebrigade Union, said: "The firefighters at the stations are going to be very angry about this because they were hoping that the councillors on the authority would not accept the cuts recommended by the management."

He said morale would take a dent because of the news.

Around 18 firefighters are based from each station and they will all be consulted about cutting their hours or taking up other jobs, said chief fire officer Peter Holland.

As previously reported by the Telegraph plans to axe a retained crew at Accrington, Colne, and Haslingden and cutting one of the two retained crews at Padiham were dropped at a meeting last month.

Fire bosses said the cuts were down a lack of work for the crews and a greater focus on providing fire prevention to households.

Mr Holland said: "We are going to sit down and talk to people regarding their options.

"We are going to be recruiting full-time firefighters next year and retained staff will be given that option."

He said the service was not likely to axe the engines from the two stations until March.

Seeking to reassure people in the two towns losing a pump, Mr Holland added: "Each of the stations will still have an engine, and there will still be fast response times and back-up times.

"I have been a fire fighter for 34 years. I started as a firefighter and there's no way I would sign up to anything that would put people's lives at risk."

He said anyone concerned about fire risks to their homes should contact the fire brigade to arrange a free fire safety check.

Mr Harman said the hours of cover at each station are currently 120 hours per 18 firefighters.

He said 10 lots of 120 hours would be required to run one pump and how those hours were arranged would influence how many people lost their jobs.