A REVOLUTIONARY fire extinguisher that can cut through walls and put out a blaze from outside a building was demonstrated for the first time in the North-East yesterday.

The Swedish Cobra Cutting Extinguisher (CCE) can drill through thick walls of steel and concrete with an abrasive 2mm water jet.

Fire and rescue teams from across the region travelled to the Serco International Training Centre, at Teesside Airport, to see the impressive technology in action.

Kevin Keeler, of Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue, was among those attending. He said: "The demonstration proved the worth of the Cobra and we were impressed by how easily it cut through almost any material."

Consisting of a high pressure pump, hose reel and hand-held lance, the CCE pierces walls and then sprays a fine mist of water into the burning room, rapidly reducing temperatures and extinguishing fires.

The system can be attached to existing engines and uses grit particles within the water to drill through walls.

Johan Pattyranie, director of Cobra Cutting Systems (CCS), said its advantages included improving safety by allowing firefighters to tackle blazes without going into a building and reducing fire damage.

The equipment is already used in Sweden, Denmark and the US, and CCS hope it will take off in the UK.

Retired firefighter Iain McWilliam, demonstrator for CCS, said: "The biggest task will be to persuade people to actually use the equipment - it isn't here to replace conventional methods. It will be an addition to the toolbox."

Mr Keeler said the fire brigade would now talk about the possibilities of using the CCE.

He said: "We are thinking about having one CCE on a specialist vehicle to attend specific incidents."