A DARLINGTON firefighter has won a gold medal after racing to victory in the World Firefighter Games.

Alan Nixon, 30, of White Watch, beat off stiff competition to win the mountain bike event for Great Britain at the games, in Sheffield.

Mr Nixon has been in the fire service for five years and this was the first time he had entered the games.

"Mountain biking is my strongest event and I had to complete four laps of a five-mile circuit in a forest, just to the north of Sheffield," he said. "It was a good competition and 73 competitors started the race. There were a lot of British guys competing and some were from New Zealand, Australia and Italy.

"I had been training for five or six times a week and it really paid off. My wife, Emma, who has given me a lot of support, was also delighted."

Mr Nixon also came 11th in the time trial event and finished 16th in the road race.

He started cycling with his father and brother at 13. He then began racing at 16 and was an elite rider for seven years.

Mr Nixon is supported by the fire service's sports and social club and will compete in the World Firefighter Mountain Bike Championship in Paris next month.