A RETIRING fire station commander has made a little bit of history with the first photograph of all the personnel serving at Accrington.

The turnout by around 60 firefighters, many of them off-duty, was a mark of respect and affection for Colin Cunliffe who retires next month.

The fire station contacted the Lancashire Evening Telegraph after ADO Cunliffe said the only farewell gift he wanted was a group photograph of the entire team at Accrington.

Assistant Divisional Officer Cunliffe, 55, who leaves on June 10, has served with the brigade for more than three decades.

In recent years he has travelled all over the world with the fire service on overseas aid missions.

Lancashire's Chief Fire Officer Gordon Russel today paid tribute to ADO Cunliffe as "a splendid servant and ambassador" for Lancashire County Fire Brigade. Mr Russel said: "Not only has he provided the leadership at Accrington fire station but also contributed significantly to the development of our UK search and rescue response.

"Colin has carried out humanitarian missions in Armenia, Romania, Tanzania, and Bosnia, and is currently engaged in providing support, in participation with War on Want, in the Western Sahara.

"There is no doubt that we will miss his brigade contribution.

"However, we intend to maintain links on the international front and hope to engage his voluntary services in the future.

"On behalf of the brigade I would like to wish Colin and his wife Joan all the very best for the future and a long and happy retirement."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.