Two retired UK fire engines sent to Ukraine

Two retired fire engines from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight have arrived in Ukraine

Two retired fire engines have been sent to tackle blazes in Ukraine.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) retired the vehicles from frontline service and replaced them with newer models.

It sold them back to manufacturer Angloco who gave them to Action Beyond Words, a humanitarian organisation, which delivered them to Ukraine.

One of the appliances has now been delivered to Mizhhiria in the west of the country and the other was sent to the city of Zmiiv in the north-east to tackle fires in the Kharkiv region, close to the country's border with Russia.

One of the engines will be used to tackle blazes close to the border with Russia

HIWFRS fleet operations manager Colin Carter said: "We are delighted to see our old vehicles recycled to help our firefighting colleagues out in Ukraine.

"These fire engines had served their purpose here in Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and had been replaced by more modern vehicles, so it is great to see that they are still of use and continue to help to save lives, thanks to the work of Angloco and Actions Beyond Words."

He said the service sells its appliances when they reach the end of their life, with the funds reinvested in the fire service.