FOR lots of people, former Hampshire fireman Terry Lane is a hero.

He has saved lives, run hundreds of miles for charity and offered religious guidance to prisoners.

Now the grandfather-of-two has documented some of his memories in his new book, entitled Fireman on the Run.

Terry served at Redbridge Hill as a firefighter for more than 25 years and he has seen it all, from the 1985 parish church fire in Eastleigh to cats stuck up trees.

Throughout his book, he refers to some of the more memorable light-hearted moments as a fireman.

He said: “I originally wrote the book for my granddaughters, to tell them about the crazy life that I have led.”

Terry said he has a close relationship with his granddaughters, Jessica and Poppy, who visit him daily.

Throughout the book the 66-year-old also reflects on his gruelling fitness regime when he was preparing for London Marathon - which he has completed four times.

“When you sign up for the marathon they give you a 16-week fitness plan. The book talks about the funnier things that happened when I was training,” he said.

Whilst training for the 26.2-mile test of physical and mental endurance, Terry had to deal with lots of things including snarling dogs and an over-enthusiastic race marshal who was convinced Terry was the leader in a cross-country race that he wasn’t even part of.

“It is a light-hearted book, encouraging people not to take life - or even training for a marathon - too seriously,” said Terry, who lives in Regents Park.

The book was written from Terry’s personal journal.

“Once you are a firefighter, you are always a firefighter. You are passionate about helping people,” said the grandfather who has raised hundreds of pounds for The Fire Fighters Charity.

Whilst he was a fireman Terry was ordained as a chaplain and later worked at Parkhurst and Winchester prisons to meet the needs of religious inmates.

He has now begun writing his second book which will detail the transition for the fire service to the prison system.

Fireman on the Run is available on Amazon and in October Books in Portswood.