Tributes paid to Staffordshire firefighter and musician

Dave Hill was "well-respected" by his colleagues, they said in a tribute

A recently-promoted firefighter has died suddenly following a medical episode at home.

Dave Hill, 51, who worked for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue for 31 years, passed away at the Royal Stoke University Hospital on Sunday.

Mr Hill started the force as an on-call firefighter in 1990, before becoming full-time in October 2000.

Colleagues in Staffordshire said they were "devastated and shocked" by his death.

The firefighter worked throughout the county, including Burton and Hanley where he had taken on temporary crew manager roles since 2008.

As well as a firefighter, Mr Hill played guitar in the Stoke-on-Trent band the Magnetic Jellyfish

On 16 December 2021, Mr Hill was promoted to permanent crew manager.

Chief fire officer Rob Barber said his colleague was a "well-liked and dedicated professional firefighter who worked to make a difference to the communities he served".

As well as a "well-respected" firefighter, Mr Hill played guitar in the Stoke-on-Trent indie-rock band the Magnetic Jellyfish.

In a statement on social media, the band said: "We are all in shock and our thoughts are with his family.

"He is and always will be our hero," the band added.