Buckets at the ready - firefighters in Royal Wootton Bassett are lathering up ready to wash some cars.

It is part of a national event organised by The Fire Fighters Charity to wash as many cars as possible to support colleagues who are injured or fall ill.

Ian Norris has been a firefighter at the station in Wootton Bassett for fifteen years.

He said: “Funding this charity is important it’s a very useful service for us.

“We go out on the job and it can be dangerous but it’s also about the admin staff who hear difficult stuff and deal with that, which is a struggle at times.

“It helps injured firefighters but also those struggling with mental health.”

Ian will be taking part in the Bath Half Marathon in March which he’s done before, but this time he will be doing it for three charities.

All the money raised between the car wash and the marathon will be split between TFFC, Wiltshire Air Ambulance and Bloodwise.

Bloodwise was picked after a firefighter from Trowbridge was diagnosed with Leukaemia and is now getting treatment.

Ian told the Adver: “This will help to raise awareness and it’s just our way of giving back.

“We’re not here to be heroes we’re here to do our job but it’s great to see local towns coming together, it really is amazing to see.”

The car wash will happen at Station Road on March 7 between 10am and 2pm.

To donate to the causes visit Ian’s marathon fundraising page on Virgin Money Giving.

Or you can donate to firefighterscharity.org.uk.