Youngsters and their parents turned out to find out what it takes to be a firefighter.

Maldon fire station, in Wycke Hill hosted an open day last weekend, giving out advice on job criteria and potential working conditions.

The event was for anyone interested in becoming an on-call firefighter at stations in Maldon, Burnham, Tillingham and Tollesbury.

The crews also gave safety tips to members of the public to prevent fires or accidents on the road.

Station manager Karen Nicoll said: “It’s great to meet our local community who are always so supportive and Saturday was no exception.

“Our crews spoke with potential recruits for all four stations and we also took the opportunity to give out essential safety advice and organise visits from the community safety team.

“We hope to follow up this event with more recruitment days throughout the year.”

The requirements for an on-call firefighter are that candidates are physically fit, more than 18 years old and live or work five minutes away from their on-call fire station.

Visit join.essex-fire.gov.uk.