WOMEN and ethnic minorities are being targeting in a major recruitment drive by the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.

The drive is part of a Home Office directive to make pubic bodies more representative of the communities they serve.

Starting this month a series of taster sessions will aim to give women and those from ethnic backgrounds an insight into what has predominantly been a white, male dominated domain.

At present, the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service has 13 female firefighters and nine from black and ethnic groups. By 2002, it is hoped these figures more than triple.

In Blackburn, the first session for women will be held at the fire station in Byrom Street on Saturday October 28. Black and ethnic groups are invited to attend on Saturday November 25 at 10am and in Darwen on November 20 at 6.30pm. Earlier this year sisters Claire and Jayne Pringle became retained firefighters at Colne and are believed to be the first twin female firefighters in the country.

But Fire Service liaison officer John Taylor said: "Primarily the Fire Service has been a male dominated area but it is brain, not brawn that matters."

He said the reason for the lack of women and ethnic groups in the service was due to public preconceptions of it being a macho, male reserve.

Mr Taylor said: "Some people have this image of this Arnold Schwarzenegger type character coming out through the smoke with a child in one arm and an adult in the other. But it isn't like that.

"They go in as a team so stature doesn't matter. The technology has improved and it doesn't require super-human strength, although there are some extremely fit women out there.

"What's needed is fitness, agility and the brains to interpret the situation and decide what action is required.

"Maybe the service has not been made attractive enough to potential recruits."

Those taking part in the day will have a go at running out a line of hose, wearing a set of breathing apparatus and will take part in a physical education session.

Blackburn's station commander Barry Ryan added: "The Fire Service is an equal opportunities employer and we want to make the service more representative of the community we serve"