FIREFIGHTERS from a crew facing the axe under cost cutting proposals have spent two days battling to control a blaze in a Rishton ravine.

A local councillor now fears that similar situations could get out of hand in the future if services are cut and there is no longer the provision to fight them effectively.

Two engines from Accrington fire station were sent to moorland off Harwood Road, Rishton, at 8.20pm on Wednesday. It took firefighters almost three hours to get the flames under control using beaters and aqua packs.

The blaze had started in grassland at the side of the road and then spread 100 meters through dry gorse into a nearby ravine.

However, they had to return to the site yesterday when the fire started up again.

One of the Accrington pumps used to tackle the blaze was the retained fire engine which was kept at Oswaldtwistle fire station before it was closed down.

This engine may now be scrapped as part of Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service's proposals to streamline services.

Two retained crews at Great Harwood could also be axed under the proposals.

Rishton councillor Ann Scaife said: "What if this fire had been at a house or a block of flats, when lives were at stake? Never mind having the minimum number of engines, we should be having the maximum.

"It is better to err on the side of caution. I would sooner see a spare engine sat in a garage than have one scrapped on the chance that we may never use it."

Yesterday was the fourth day in a row that Accrington crews had been called to deal with fires on moorlands caused by the hot weather.

On Tuesday officers from Blackburn had to cover the station while crews went out to deal with the fires.

The plans to effectively reduce Hyndburn's fire service coverage by 50 per cent have met with public concern and criticism.

Greg Pope, MP for Hyndburn, said: "This incident underlines everybody's concerns about the proposals to axe half the number of fire engines in my constituency. If they are having to use the retained engine to fight grass fires then it shows that that engine is needed.

"I will be meeting with the fire crews over the summer to listen to their concerns and will be making representations on their behalf when I return to Parliament."

Steve Harman, brigade secretary for the Lancashire branch of the Fire Brigade Union, said: "The FBU is concerned about any proposals to reduce the number of fire appliances in Lancashire but we do have to go through a formal consultation period first."

A final decision on the reorganisation is due in December.