FIREFIGHTERS across the UK will have a Southampton company to thank for the safety of their ladders after AS Fire & Rescue Equipment won a maintenance contract.

A subsidiary of the Asfare Group, AS is to maintain and test more than 160 vehicle ladder sets on fire engines in a deal worth more than £500m.

Starting on July 31, the contract runs for five years.

It is the second big win for the group in as many months after it landed a £1.1m contract to supply 109 equipment sets for new fire and rescue vehicles for London Fire Brigade.

The news is another boost for the group's 52-strong workforce, which supplies products and services to the emergency and homeland security services around the globe.

Pre-tax profits Staff received more good news when it emerged that annual pre-tax profits rose by £249,000 to £358,000.

On top of that celebrated figure, annual turnover shot up by a quarter to just under £5m.

Also, as reported in the Daily Echo, Asfare's deputy chairman David Chisnall received an OBE in the Queen's birthday honours list for services to the fire industry.

Tony O'Neill, chief executive of Asfare Group said: "Following our recent record-breaking equipment order win, this contract is further evidence that AS is leading the field in the supply of certain specialist fire appliance equipment.

"AS's premium range ladders are unique for their ability to be repaired and this feature has facilitated the first long-term maintenance contract of its kind."