FIREFIGHTERS in Blackburn have started to work from their new £3million station.

Crews are getting their bearings in the state-of-the-art station in Canterbury Street – which is only metres across the road from the old station in Byrom Street.

Crew manager Caroline Sturgess said: “Everyone’s excited about the move. The new building is so bright and airy and there’s plenty of room.

“In the old station it was dark and there were lots of different rooms. It was also separated into two buildings, but now we’re all on one level so firefighters can sit with fire safety officers.

“Now we can sit together to have lunch and it’s a good environment for networking.

“There’s loads of high-tech equipment too such as cameras on the doors so we can see who we are dealing with before we go down.”

The new station has been built as part of a Private Finance Initiative project to construct 16 new fire stations in the North West.

Artefacts from the old station will be transferred to the new building, including a brass pole, photographs, log books, and plaques.

The new station includes training facilities that the community can book.

An official opening takes place on April 26, followed by a community open day on April 28.

Caroline added: “When we are able to open to the public, we’ll all be proud as punch.”