FIREFIGHTERS raised more than £1,000 by doing an impromptu car wash to help victims of the Grenfell tower fire and the fire crews who tried to save them.

Volunteers from Cricklade joined colleagues in Malmesbury on Tuesday night where they found a queue of cars waiting for them.

“It went swimmingly well,” said crew manager Pete Price. “For the first hour and a half it was completely non-stop. The public support was outstanding.”

He explained the Malmesbury crew managed to get permission for the event at very short notice and he took colleagues Jim Taylor, Krizstian Blaser and Tom Matthews over to help out.

The firefighters scrubbed, lathered and hosed more than 100 cars during the evening, prompted by an urge to show support for their fellow firefighters in London and the bereaved and homeless families. By the end of the evening they had raised £1,017.

The money is being divided between the Firefighters Charity and the fund set up to help the victims of the fire.

“It was exceptionally touching to know that people from so far away were putting their hands in their pockets,” said Mr Price.

North Wiltshire MP James Gray also dropped by to add his encouragement.

Mr Price, who is a retained firefighter and works as a motor mechanic, lost his workshop in a fire several years ago. He said: “At the end of the day I had a home to go to. I go to people’s properties when they have lost their homes. To have that happen is like having everything taken away from you.”