PRESTON'S firefighters were treated to a hands on demonstration of state of the art equipment from Sweden, which featured on the top science programme Tomorrow's World.

The device that can punch holes through brick, stone, steel and wood will allow firefighters to gain access and extinguish fires in minutes.

It was demonstrated by the Lancashire Fire and Rescue service on Tuesday March 26 and their Swedish counterparts were invited over to see how the revolutionary way of fighting fires had been researched. It is made by Swedish firm, Cobra, who sent their experts along with fire crews from Helsinborg to put the equipment through its paces at Lancashire Fire Service's training centre, Washington Hall, Euxton.

Paul Thompson, the assistant divisional officer at Lancashire Fire and Rescue, said: "This device and the techniques trailed by the Swedish Rescue Agency show considerable promise."

The machine is linked up to a conventional fire engine and acts like a pressure washer.

Particles of sand are injected into a high-pressure water jet to produce a cutting action.

Once the material has been penetrated the water jet emerges on the other side as a fine mist.

BBC1's Tomorrow's World filmed the demonstration which featured on their April 3 show.

Meanwhile Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service are breaking ground in other areas.

They have become the first fire brigade in the UK to use a state-of-the-art digital radio system to improve its communications. The voice and data system called 'Airwave' is provided by BT.