TWO community fire stations have received Platinum Jubilee Medals for services to their local areas.

Crews from Bellingham Community Fire Station and Allendale Community Fire Stations were awarded with the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Medals.

At Allendale Fire Station, Wendy Baynes presented crew manager Michael Fairless with his Queen's Platinum Jubilee medal on Tuesday night.

Also on Tuesday night, group manager at Bellingham Fire Station Richard Leighton presented the medals to the crew.

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Those eligible were recognised for five or more continuous years of service as a thank you for their hard work.

The medals were presented on Tuesday night, which is the fire station's weekly drill night for training and testing all equipment.

Simon Irvin, a hotel manager at the Riverdale Hotel in Bellingham, received an award, along with Andrew Archer, a service manager for Forestry England.

Gavin Wright, a wagon delivery driver, and Ben Chruszczewski, a greenkeeper, also received medals.

Matthew Henderson, a fleet manager for Forestry England, and Owen Loughhead, a mechanic for Forestry England, were awarded with medals.

Andrew said: "It's nice to be recognised for the time and effort we put in as retained firefighters and it means a lot that we're recognised for what we do."

As retained firefighters, they are kept close by in the community to call upon in the instance of a fire. 

"We can get pulled up anytime and working as retained firefighters is our secondary job," Andrew added.

He said Bellingham Fire Station was actively recruiting on call fire personnel who live within eight minutes of the station.

"It doesn't matter what sort of job you do, our portfolio proves you can do it," he said.

Andrew said working as a firefighter was about giving support back into the community and has high job satisfaction. 

"It's good to be part of the community as a firefighter, you get recognition from your local community which is good," he said.

To find out more information, go to Northumberland Fire and Rescue links www.northumberlandfireandrescue.gov.uk.