A MEMORIAL garden to a highly-decorated firefighter was opened in a North-East station yesterday.

Assistant Divisional Officer Iain Davison died of a heart attack last November while helping a colleague put up a fence.

Fire service colleagues of the County Durham and Darlington brigade have spent months using their skills to create a memorial garden, complete with barbecue area, at Darlington fire station.

Mr Davison, 45, was the commander of the station and had completed 26 years' service in the brigade.

Speaking at the memorial service yesterday, George Herbert, chief fire officer, paid tribute to his "quiet manner".

He said: "On the surface Iain Davison was a nice man, jovial, pretty relaxed, but underlying that, at the centre of Iain, was a huge amount of care, passion and comradeship.

"I have been in this job approaching 29 years now and this is the first time I have ever come across this level of commitment from the people that Iain commanded.

"It says a lot about Iain and the way that he treated people and it also says a lot about the people that work at Darlington Fire Station. I am proud of what you have done here. You have done a fantastic job."

Firefighters, some of whom had come from previous trades, put the garden together themselves, with local suppliers such as B&Q and Jewsons helping with discounts on materials.

Mr Davison's widow, Sharon, was present to unveil a memorial plaque at the event yesterday. The brigade's chaplain, the Reverend John Bell, and Darlington Mayor Doris Jones, paid tribute to Mr Davison's career