FRONTLINE firefighters in Lancashire are being ‘stretched to the limit’ as budget cuts begin to bite, say union chiefs.

And they fear that £7.8million cuts, planned for the county brigade over the next three years, will only heap further pressure on beleaguered staff.

Leaders of the Fire Brigades Union said that by September the fire and rescue service will have lost 267 operational posts, a quarter of firefighter posts, over the last decade.

Fire chiefs have said they would attempt to manage the cutbacks so that no firefighter’s safety was put at risk.

In a letter to the fire authority, Steve Harman, the FBU’s Lancashire secretary, said the union would not agree to any proposal which would compromise their members’ safety.

“This comes at a time when operational crews and manager are finding themselves stretched to the limit on more and more occasions,” said Mr Harman.

“Last year’s moorland fires, for example, led to crews working ‘excessive hours without adequate rest breaks,” he said.

“Retained firefighters then had to go straight to work at their primary employment, getting no rest at all.”

Under the Government cutbacks, £1.8million is being saved this year through introducing more day crews, at the likes of Darwen and Rawtenstall, and removing a platform appliance at Preston.

And in 2013-14 and 2014-15 another £5.9million must be recouped.

Paul Richardson, Lancashire’s deputy chief fire officer, said: “Our firefighters are a skilled, committed workforce who work within a structured framework of contracted hours of work and risk assessment, underpinned by comprehensive and thorough health and safety and occupational health services.

“The invariably unpredictable nature of emergencies and our commitment to respond effectively to them is undoubtedly challenging but that has been, and will continue to be, achieved without compromising firefighters' safety or wellbeing.”

The fire authority will meet today to discuss its budget, which is expected to approve a council tax freeze.