A FIREFIGHTER who was mistakenly declared missing after the Bradford City fire disaster has retired after almost 34 years.

Simeon Sharp, leading fire fighter at Rawdon Fire Station, joined the service at just 16 years old and served at Bradford and Idle before moving to Rawdon.

In his more than 30 years, he has seen engine bells replaced with sirens and the introduction of high pressure hoses and computers.

He has also seen how smoke detectors have drastically cut down the number of deaths in homes.

"When I first rode the engines, they still had the bells. Some you had to ring by hand and some had a foot pedal," he said.

Not all of the engines had radios fitted which meant crews often went out to fires that were either false or out by the time they arrived.

"We never had high pressure hoses, they didn't come in until 15 or 20 years ago. The hoses we had until then were like garden hoses, it used to take ages to put car fires out."

He remembers how ten years ago, smoke alarms were brought in and had a remarkable impact on the number of serious fires.

"There is no way as many house fires now, smoke alarms are like hidden life insurance."

His most memorable fire was the disaster at Bradford City's Valley Parade ground in May, 1985.

Mr Sharp had been at the match during the afternoon and a friend, knowing he was there, had assumed the worst after trying to contact him.

"I was working at Idle at the time and when I turned up for work in the evening, I was down as missing.

"Everyone knew the stand was a bit of a tinderbox, but none actually thought it would go up.

"I was in the middle of the Kop and felt helpless, we thought everyone would get out and it was only later that we realised.

"Although I wasn't on duty for the fire, I was there in the evening damping it down. It was horrendous, I can remember seeing all the bodies piled up at the turnstiles. It was probably the most memorable fire I went on."

He started on a junior fireman scheme in 1969 after having to decide between the fire service and becoming a police cadet.

Mr Sharp, who lives in Saltaire, spent two years in Bradford before moving to Fairweather Green where he was promoted to leading fire-fighter at headquarters.

He worked at Bradford, then Idle for 15 years before working in Rawdon.

Last week, more than 200 friends, family and former colleagues gathered at the station to give Mr Sharp a rousing send off.

In his retirement, Mr Sharp, who is separated from his wife and has a grown up son, intends to carry on his window cleaning business.

He also plans to carry on tending the hanging baskets at Rawdon Fire Station - which have become something of a feature in the area.

But high up on his list of things to do is to buy himself a sports car.

"I've always fancied a Morgan and will be getting one as soon as I can find one to buy."

He said: "I am a bit anxious about retiring because I have got some good friends there and I will miss the crack that we had in breaks.

"It is a job I have done all my life and a job I have loved and was lucky to end up in."