A redundant Haworth fire engine will soon be responding once again to emergency calls - in Azerbaijan!

The vehicle has just been withdrawn from operations at the village's retained station after 12 years' service.

Now it and another appliance from Brighouse are heading across the world to serve the local community and a petro-chemical plant in Sangahal.

Other firefighting equipment, plus donated books and toys, are also being taken.

The fire engines are being transported via the Channel Tunnel to Dunkirk where they will be loaded on to river ships. They will then travel up the Baltic to St Petersburg and on to Astrakhan on the coast of the Caspian Sea, for the final leg of the journey by road to Sangahal.

The operation is being staged by a charitable scheme run by BP, which bought the vehicles from the fire service.

A spokesman told us: "Although the appliances - which have a normal life-span of about ten years - have come to the end of their service here, they can still be of use in other parts of the world."

Assistant Chief Fire Officer David Monks added: "The appliances - though reaching 'retirement age' by our operational standards - have been well maintained, and I am sure are capable of providing further service in Azerbaijan.

"BP has paid the going rate and so the deal represents good value for money for local Council Tax payers, while also providing for a very worthy cause."

The Haworth appliance has been replaced.