A firefighters' union has hit out at the Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service after it was labelled 'inadequate' in a recent inspection.

Steve Wright, the executive council member for the southern region of the Fire Brigades Union, representing the majority of firefighters across the UK, said a recent inspection of Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Services constituted a "scandal" that should concern "every resident" of the county.

The report, carried out by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) between April and June 2023 and published last month, found that the service needed "urgent improvements".

Inspectors rated Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Services as adequate for its response times to major incidents, but inadequate for the provision of public safety through fire regulation.

They also questioned whether an "increased reliance on other services" from neighbouring regions was a "sustainable" strategy.

Mr Wright said: "The service has been hollowed out under the watch of senior managers. Instead of standing up against a brutal regime of cuts, those at the top have been asleep at the wheel. Firefighters have had enough.

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"The state of our fire service is a matter of public and firefighter safety. We need urgent investment and action.

"Firefighters won't sit by as our service is run into the ground."

Mick Osborne, Buckinghamshire Fire Service's interim chief fire officer, previously told the BBC: "We accept the feedback provided by this HMICFRS inspection report and acknowledge the areas of concern highlighted.

"I assure you we are already actively taking measures to address the areas where the service needs to urgently improve, particularly in fire protection.

"We do not underestimate the challenges we face and are working closely with the Fire Authority and HMICFRS to make the changes and improvements required."