A FORMER Lancashire firefighter is to fly out to Paraguay this weekend to help the country's ailing fire and rescue service.

Colin Cunliffe is to travel to Asuncion as part of an advance party of British firefighters who will be offering expertise and equipment to the emergency services.

It will be Colin's third trip to the country. Before he has been with colleagues to do an audit and see what equipment and training was needed, and to take equipment including breathing apparatus and road accident supplies.

The trips are part of a national charity campaign Operation Florian, which raises money to buy surplus fire and rescue equipment to give to poor countries. In the past, war-torn Serbia and Bosnia have been helped. Often convoys of old fire trucks are sent.

Colin will be going ahead of team members Station Officer Colin Byers from Ribchester, who will be travelling out at the beginning of February, and Sub Officer Andy Wilkinson and Leading Firefighter Ged Richmond, from Burnley, who will be go a week later.

Colin, who lives in Ribchester, said: "There tends to be fire and rescue cover only in certain areas of Paraguayan towns and cities and virtually none in rural areas. Fire strikes in the poorest parts of conurbations and the countryside, where road traffic crashes are also more prevalent and where firefighting and rescue provision is often non-existent. We hope to improve matters by concentrating on equipping and training local people as firefighters." Colin served in Lancashire Fire and Rescue service for 31 years, in Accrington, Chorley, Blackburn and Preston before retiring.