UNION representatives have warned that firefighters in Redcar are risking food poisoning because of the state of their station kitchen.

At a meeting of the health and safety committee of Cleveland Fire Brigade, union representatives called for contract cleaners to be brought in, to solve hygiene problems in the kitchen.

Catering services at Cleveland fire stations were brought to an end earlier in the year, with firefighters provided with facilities to cook their own food.

Despite the complaints from union representatives, brigade health and safety officer George Pendlington said the Redcar kitchen was deep-cleaned twice a year, and any more cleaning would incur unnecessary expense.

He said: "In the same way as many other industries, the brigade now only provide facilities to enable personnel to heat food and prepare hot drinks."

Those who used the facilities were responsible for the day-to day cleaning.

Union representatives said although firefighters should clean up after themselves, they should not be expected to clean for other people.

Tom Kerr-Morgan, of the Fire Brigade Union, said catering staff with food hygiene certificates had left, and those now using the kitchen had no expertise.

He urged managers to ensure staff had relevant health and safety training so they were not endangering themselves or others in the kitchen.

Assistant District Officer Pendlington said: "Food hygiene certificates are a requirement for commercial caterers, and there is no requirement for the brigade to provide them.

"At the moment, there are no restrictions on foods brought into the workplace.

"If the union is informing the brigade that there is a risk being created with this, then restrictions with raw meats and kitchens may have to be imposed."