A FIREFIGHTER was astonished to find a training session turn into a surprise bash to mark his 30 years of service.

Friends and family packed into The Swan and Royal Hotel in Clitheroe centre to mark the occasion for watch manager Dave McGrath.

Earlier he had turned up for a ‘job’, with workmates setting up a special scene.

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The 25-strong crew based at the town’s fire station were all keen to recognise Dave’s achievement and thank him for his support and leadership.

In true ‘This is your life’ fashion they pulled together, with the help of Dave’s wife Cath, photos and anecdotes including a video message from Dave’s eldest daughter Kerry, who is deployed overseas with the army, to help celebrate the milestone.

The crew presented Dave, who works as a process operator at Johnson Matthey in Clitheroe, with an engraved bronze figurine of a firefighter and a floral arrangement for Cath. The dad-of-four joined the service in 1984 when he was 19 years old and was promoted to sub officer in 1995.

That was followed four months later by a promotion to acting station commander before being given the job permanently.

The 49-year-old has dealt with a diverse number of incidents over the years, ranging from car smashes and overturned lorries on the A59 to major fires, such as the blaze at the Swan and Royal Hotel in Castle Street five years ago.

He said: “I was absolutely shocked and I had no idea what was going to happen.

“I pride myself on knowing what’s going on and for them to organise this around me is a little bit scary. The job is extremely demanding but it’s also extremely rewarding. I joined because I wanted to make a difference.”