THE stars of TV hit London's Burning have backed a fire safety campaign created in Pendle and set to go county-wide next week.

The cast agreed to be filmed for a video as part of the "Battery Bob" campaign aimed at promoting the safe use of smoke alarms in homes.

The video, which will be used during the official launch at Lancashire Fire Brigade HQ, Broughton, on Wednesday could also feature on Granada TV if negotiations are successful.

It was filmed during a visit by a delegation from Nelson fire station to the London station where the TV series is based.

Actors such as Richard Walsh, who plays Sick Note, and Glen Murphy who plays George, together with the LWT production crew, took time off from their busy schedule to help produce the video.

Nelson fire safety officer Bob Parkin, the driving force behind the "Battery Bob" campaign, said: "We wanted a celebrity to help launch the campaign in Lancashire.

"The cast of London's Burning were ideal and they were only too glad to help. They gave up their own time to help us out. "We invited one of the cast up here but they couldn't come because of their busy filming schedule so we went to London. The assistant producer Henry Tomlinson couldn't do enough to help us and the rest of the cast were marvellous. Everything was done with their help to produce a very professional video.

"It's still in its rough version at the moment and will have to be edited to give us the finished article."

The aim of "Battery Bob" is to remind people of the importance of having smoke alarms fitted in their homes and to check that they are working on the first day of every month.

It is hoped the campaign could go nationwide.

It has been presented to the Home Office which is considering the idea.

Mr Parkin is also negotiating with chiefs at Granada TV to get the company to broadcast a reminder each month as a public service message.

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