Shoeburyness: New fire station opens for on-call crews

(Left to right) Deputy chief fire officer Moira Bruin, chief fire officer Rick Hylton, police fire and crime commissioner Roger Hirst, Southend-on-Sea mayor Stephen Habermel and Rochford and Southend East MP James Duddridge

On-call firefighters have started using a newly renovated building in Essex.

Crews previously used what was described as a small Scout hut, and portable toilets and washing facilities, in Shoebury Avenue in Shoeburyness, near Southend-on-Sea.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service bought a former police station next door and contractors knocked through to create a larger space.

Chief fire officer Rick Hylton described it as "state-of-the-art".

He said: "The dedication our on-call firefighters show is incredible.

"I am delighted that our service is able to provide these refurbished facilities for them to use."

The newly renovated complex created room for an extra fire engine at Shoeburyness

Building work began in early 2022 but was complicated slightly when a former bomb shelter was found underneath the drill yard.

The building has created space for a new fire engine.

Conservative police, fire and crime commissioner for Essex Roger Hirst, His Majesty's Lord Lieutenant of Essex Jennifer Tolhurst and local Tory MP Sir James Duddridge were at an unveiling on Monday.