The High Sheriff of Staffordshire met some of the county’s firefighters when she visited the brigade’s headquarters near Stafford.

Katie Evans dropped in at the fire service base in Pirehill yesterday.

She had lunch with chief fire officer/chief executive Peter Dartford and members of the management team before seeing 999 calls being taken in the control room.

Mrs Evans then spent time in the training and development centre, where she spoke to firefighters taking part in a hazardous materials course. While there, she also tried on firefighting kit and had a go at wearing breathing apparatus before going out for a trip on a fire engine.

She learned about Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s fire prevention work. Mrs Evans said: “I was very keen to visit the headquarters to learn about what goes on behind the scenes.”

Chief fire officer Peter Dartford said he was “delighted” to welcome the High Sheriff.