SWINDON firefighters who joined in an emotional vigil to mark the first anniversary of the Grenfell tower block fire that killed 72 people, had to dash off to a housefire.

Around 40 people turned up for the event at the cenotaph in Regent Circus on Thursday evening organised by Swindon People’s Assembly.

Tony Hillier, one of the organisers, said the aim was to show solidarity with the people living with the effects of the Grenfell fire and to support them in their campaign for justice a year on.

He added: "Just as the fire officers finished their emotional readings, they were called to dash to a Park South house fire. No better illustration could there be of the need for quality public services.”

A crewmember read from a detailed account from one of their London Fire Brigade colleagues, describing scenes inside the block and the heart wrenching realisation they could not reach all the victims.

“We reached what we believed to be the 19/20th floor but there was no way to tell. It was here where we found a couple trying to find their way out, panicking, choking, blinded by the thick toxic air.

“A quick gauge check showed us that the amount of floors we'd climbed had taken its toll, we were getting low on air. There's no way we could make it to the 23rd and back to the bridgehead.

“The couple were shouting and screaming at us through the coughing, trying to tell us there were five more people on the floor above,” said the account.