DORSET'S hard-pressed firefighters have issued a plea for more part-time recruits after dealing with three major incidents in one week.

Part-time staff formed the backbone of Dorset Fire and Rescue's response to two heath fires and a dangerous gas leak.

They made up all the crews responding to a major incident at Stalbridge on Monday, in which a fire ruptured a gas main and led to 25 homes being evacuated.

Part-time, or retained, crews also provided 70-80 per cent of the manpower fighting major blazes at Canford Heath on Tuesday night and Ham Common in Poole on Wednesday afternoon.

Group manager Andy Fox, who was at all three emergencies, said: “This week has emphasised that those crews are constantly going out and we're not able to easily relieve and turn them over so much.

“While it's not affecting service delivery, it's more that it's putting the onus on a few people to go out.”

He said it was getting harder to recruit part-time staff. “I don't know why in particular. We've got 26 fire stations and 12 of them have vacancies,” he added.

“The majority of the time, the fire engines are available. It's just we need to start recruiting to make sure that carries on.”

Retained staff form the crews to 33 of Dorset's 40 fire engines.

There are particular shortages in Wareham, Sturminster Newton, Shaftesbury, Maiden Newton and Portland.

But Wimborne, Ferndown, Cranborne, Hamworthy, Swanage, Bere Regis, Blandford and Sherborne are also recruiting.

Mr Fox said the service was especially keen to recruit more women.

Retained firefighters need to live or work within four minutes of a fire station. “We have particular problems during the day because people are at work,” said he said.

“We need people that are able, at the drop of a hat, to go out and jump in a fire engine.”

For more details, visit dorsetfire.gov.uk