Thieves put fire engine out of action for two days

Newport's fire engine was immobilised by the thieves

Firefighters have condemned thieves who broke into their station, putting them out of action for two days.

The fire engine at Newport, Shropshire, was immobilised when burglars ripped out a thermal imaging camera, damaging the vehicle's electrics.

They also damaged a door and stole items from a storage area in the early hours of 19 February.

Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service is asking anyone with information to get in touch or contact the police.

Watch manager Charlie Cartwright said: "During this time [after the vehicle was damaged], we had a call, and this meant that fire engines from neighbouring stations had to attend, putting people’s lives at risk."

He added that the vehicle fault took nearly two days to fix.

In a statement, a fire service spokesperson said: "We have CCTV footage of the incident and are working closely with police to take the matter forward.

"Our fire stations and the equipment within them are here for the safety of our local communities, and it is disappointing when incidents like this occur."

It said it would review its "existing robust security procedures", and reassured residents that its "resilient network" of fire engines remained able to respond to incidents if one was out of action.