ROAD accident victims in County Durham can rest assured they will be in safe hands once the fire brigade arrives on the scene.

For a team of Durham and Darlington brigade firefighters came out top of 51 competing crews to win the British National Extrication Challenge at the weekend.

It earned them a ticket to the US to represent Britain at the international version in Dallas, Texas, next year.

The quartet, sub-officers Sean Gallagher, Kenny Ball, Frank Johnston and Kevin Hart, backed by co-opted paramedic Mark Rose, proved flawless in the first stage of the competition, a 20-minute unlimited extrication - a simulated rescue of a casualty from a car crash us-ing hydraulic cutting equipment.

Judges voted them first out of 51 in that opening round, at the Barmston Mere training school of the neighbouring Tyne and Wear brigade, at Washington, on Friday.

It put them through to the shortlisted final eight on Saturday, when they came second in a 20-minute limited extrication, using only part of their kit, and third in a ten-minute rapid rescue.

With the results combined, Durham were winners ahead of a crew from the Nottingham brigade.

Overseeing their performance was chief officer George Herbert, and Dur-ham divisional officer for training John Robson.

"It was the 14th time it has been held, but the first time we've entered, and for debutants to win is just fantastic," said Mr Robson.

"The team has had specialist training in Holland and we quite fancied making the cut into the top eight.

"The scenarios are what fire brigades are doing every day, but they took it to a new level."

The team captain, sub-officer Gallagher, added the title for best command and control. Paramedic Rose, based at Darlington, also won his individual category.

Sub-officer Gallagher is based at Durham station, at Framwellgate Moor, while the other three team members work in the adjoining brigade training centre