FIREFIGHTERS in Lancashire are some of the healthiest in the country, say NHS chiefs.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service won the Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust's bronze and silver Healthy Workforce Award.

In their assessment, the awards panel was impressed with the service's human resource policies and procedures; itsequality and diversity strategy and its rehabilitation procedures for sick or injured staff.

Chief fire officer Peter Holland said: "We work hard to ensure that the necessary support is in place to create a healthy workforce and I'm delighted with this confirmation from such an authoritative source that we are consistently getting the right results."