Cambridgeshire Fire Service chief to retire in September

Cambridgeshire's chief fire officer, Chris Strickland, is to step down in September

A fire and rescue service chief is to retire after a career spanning more than 40 years.

Cambridgeshire's chief fire officer, Chris Strickland, has held the top post in the county since 2016, having joined in 2007.

Before that he served with Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service for 24 years.

Mr Strickland, who is expected to step down in September, said he had been honoured to lead the service.

"It has been a tough decision to plan to hang up the uniform for good, but now feels the right time to pass the baton on to someone else," he said.

"We are widely recognised as being a high-performing fire and rescue service and I believe we're in a good position for someone else to now pick up the reins and continue to deliver the best possible service we can to our communities."

Edna Murphy, Liberal Democrat county councillor and chairwoman of the county's cross-party fire authority, said: "Chris has provided exemplary and inspiring leadership to Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, continuing the drive for improvement with courage and empathy during difficult times.

"We are all grateful to him for what has been a career of dedicated public service."

Ms Murphy said a recruitment process to find Mr Strickland's successor would begin shortly.