SALTASH firefighters took on a ‘999’ challenge to help send ambulances to Ukraine.

The nine crew members wore their full 30kg firefighting kit to race nine miles back and forth across the Tamar Bridge in less than nine hours.

The Saltash Community Fire Station team explained how they are supporting the Cornish charity Outreach Paramedics to provide vital medical transport to Ukraine.

“The fire service in Ukraine co-respond, meaning that, in addition to normal fire service duties, they also respond to medical emergencies using ambulances,” said the crew.

“Medical aid, and in particular emergency ambulances are desperately needed in Ukraine right now.

WInnocent lives are being lost daily, because there just aren’t the resources available to deal with the casualties of a war.

“Outreach Paramedics have two ambulances that are nearly ready to go - they are just being serviced and safety checked - and we would like to help pay for the cost of transportation to Ukraine.”

Outreach Paramedics is a small charity made up of volunteers from all backgrounds, including doctors, nurses and paramedics but also people from other walks of life.

Its focus is to provide paramedics, ambulances and medical supplies in response to crises.

Outreach Paramedics will be providing training in situ on how to efficiently use lifesaving equipment on board the ambulances, as well as on utilising the medical supplies and keeping the ambulances maintained.

The charity said it was enormously grateful to Saltash Community Fire Station for being the first crew to complete the 999 challenge.

 To support the appeal visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding and search for “Outreach Paramedics”