ANDOVER'S fireground during the strike is covered by two green goddesses based at DLO together with a modern rescue vehicle for the breathing apparatus and cutting equipment crew.

A total of 36 Royal Navy personnel provide 24-hour cover and this week they were upbeat about their role and ability to do the job.

Chief Petty Officer Stuart Bushby, second in command of the local operation and watch commander, said: "From our point of view it's going very well and we are doing quite a good job. We haven't run into any major problems so far and we are confident that we can deal with the majority of incidents."

By Monday morning they had attended four incidents, including a chimney fire in Appleshaw on Saturday and a road accident on the A343 north of Hurstbourne Tarrant on Monday involving a car, with a trapped woman driver inside, and a lorry.

The three-strong breathing apparatus (BA) and metal cutting team also attended but were not needed because striking firefighters broke their picket line to deal with the situation, although they did help get the lorry driver out of his cab and into an ambulance.

The crews have also been called out on a number of occasions to cover Basingstoke's fireground while they have been out on jobs.

The BA and metal cutting team members have all had five weeks training and the fire crews have undergone a day's training.

Marine engineer mechanic Daniel Harris said: "It's a new challenge. Actually, I wanted to join the fire service before joining the Royal Navy so I'm quite happy to do it."

Most of the stand-in firefighters are based in Portsmouth and MEM Harris is serving with the stretched destroyer HMS Manchester.

Operator mechanic Daniel Crabtree, also serving on the Manchester, is a member of the control room staff and also operates the equipment which measures the amount of oxygen left in breathing apparatus gear.

He said he was enjoying the experience: "It's absolutely brilliant."

MEM Harris said with the danger of fire on board ship most Royal Navy personnel are already acquainted with firefighting techniques. CPO Bushby added: "We are providing the best cover we can and we believe we are doing a good job."