UNION representatives say a legal wrangle which resulted in one of Lancashire's most senior firefighters quitting could have cost taxpayers up to £750,000.

Assistant chief fire officer John Williamson resigned two years after he was suspended for providing a reference for a secretary sacked for gross misconduct.

Both were later cleared, but as Mr Williamson was ready to return to work he received another letter saying he was suspended.

When the matter was finalised last month Mr Williamson resigned.

Trevor Newton, advisor for the Association of Principal Fire Officers, represented Mr Williamson throughout the hearings.

He said: "John is one of life's gentlemen and he should never have been put through this. All charges against John have been dropped and he has retired on a full pension with immediate effect.

"Essentially, the priority for John was to clear his name. He has been off work for two years and decided it would be very difficult to go back into that environment. He had nothing to prove so decided to do something different with his life."

Steve Harman, Lancashire Fire Brigade's union secretary, today said Mr Williamson was very well respected by all of the fire brigade and control staff.

He said he was also a very popular man and a well liked officer.

But Mr Harman said questions had been raised about the money spent during the proceedings.

He said: "We don't know the exact cost to the rate payer but it is probably nearly £million.

"Barristers can cost around £3,000 a day then there is the admin staff, an assistant chief doing his job plus John's salary."

Mr Williamson was employed by the fire service for 37 years and had a distinguished career.

It included commanding firefighters at the Piper Alpha disaster and the Chinook helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre in 1994.

As part of his settlement Mr Williamson, from Preston, had to sign a confidentiality clause which prevents him speaking to the media.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service declined to comment.