A semi-professional footballer is among 10 new firefighters hired by County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service.

The group donned their uniforms for the first time on Monday as they began their 14-week training course with the service.

The new hires come from a variety of backgrounds, with professions ranging from HGV driving to a semi-pro footballer.

An extensive recruitment process whittled down thousands of applicants to just ten for the role of Wholetime Firefighter.

Chief Fire Officer Steve Helps said: "This latest cohort bring a wide and diverse range of experience, skills and abilities and each and every one of them has the potential to be an incredible asset to our firefighting family."

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"I want to wish our new recruits the best of luck and encourage them to work hard and get the most out of their training journey.

“Being a firefighter is a job like no other and it’s an honour to wear the uniform and keep your community safe.

“However, I’d never call it an easy career. People often ask what it takes to be a firefighter and I’d say it takes dedication, commitment and personal resilience, so work hard and you’ll never look back.”

Cllr John Shuttleworth, Chair of County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority, expressed his confidence in the new appointees, saying: "I am confident that our new cohort have the skills and experience which will help them become outstanding firefighters."