A LARGE part of the Ribble Valley will be left without local fire cover unless more people volunteer to become part-time firefighters.

The number of retained - or part-time - fire officers based at Clitheroe Fire Station has now dropped to 16, with six people needed to man each of the station's two appliances.

But they are now struggling to put out a crew to respond to fires during the daytime.

Sub-officer Dave Frankland said the service was "managing, just' but warned that it will only take a bout of sickness to make the situation much worse.

That has prompted the area's MP and council leader to call for a full-time fire crew to be based in Clitheroe.

The problem of recruiting retained firefighters - who can be on standby for up to 120 hours a week and have to be within five minutes of their base station - is apparent across East Lancashire.

But whereas retained stations such as Great Harwood are within just a few minutes of Hyndburn Fire Station in Church - which also has a retained crew - it can take up to 20 minutes for fire appliances to reach the town.

From Clitheroe, they cover an area of 170 square miles, go as far to the west as Chipping and Hurst Green, and across to Stocks Reservoir.

Sub-officer Frankland, who has 15 years' service as a retained firefighter, said: "Evenings and nights aren't a problem. It is during the day that we are really struggling."

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "The authorities must act urgently to attract more people into the service. If they cannot attract people then they must look towards a full time presence into the area as a priority."

John Hill, leader of the council, said: "They are frontline troops and deserve to be properly staffed. Otherwise we face a situation where one day we may just watch Clitheroe burn."