The number of complaints made against West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service reduced by 15.6 per cent in the last financial year.

A total of 54 complaints were received in 2006/07, compared to 64 the previous year and 47 the year before that.

But the number of compliments received by the county's fire service also reduced, falling to 233 in 2006/07 from 274 the previous year.

Of the complaints, 19 related to operational matters, eight to driving and five to attitude.

In one incident, a mother and daughter standing at a bus stop during heavy rain were soaked when a fire appliance went through a large puddle, splashing them and damaging a mobile phone. A new mobile phone was provided to replace the damaged one.

Meanwhile, driver training was issued on e-mail to staff regarding driving emergency vehicles off-road after a complaint was received about a fire engine getting stuck in a farmer's field.

There were also complaints regarding the delay from assessing to fitting alarms for the deaf. Three extra staff have been recruited to undertake the fitting of deaf alarms and reduce the backlog.

The report was drawn up by the fire service's director of corporate services to go before members of the fire authority when they meet at fire service headquarters in Birkenshaw at 10.55am tomorrow.

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