Bradford's only female firefighter is backing a drive to encourage more women to join the service.

Renee Gregoire, pictured, who is based at Fairweather Green, says the fire service is a wonderful career for a woman and urges others to sign up.

Would-be women firefighters already have a role model in Bradford-born actress Heather Peace who has a star role as Sally Fields in hit television series London's Burning.

West Yorkshire Fire Service is holding a series of career taster days, including a women-only event, in a bid to recruit female staff into the traditionally male-dominated environment.

The service has 17 female firefighters but Government targets mean that figure must leap to 277 by 2009.

Station Officer Glenn Meacham, of the group's equalities and recruitment unit, said positive action is needed to stop a shortfall of women. "We currently employ 1,698 whole time firefighters, including 17 women and 23 from ethnic minority groups. Clearly this does not reflect the composition of West Yorkshire and it is a situation we are trying to rectify," he said.

Renee, 21, of Wrose, left her office job as an accounts clerk at Grattan to pursue her dream of being a firefighter.

"The awareness days are a good opportunity to get the application form, which can be the hardest part. I just wanted to help the public and go out into the community," she said. "When I got in it felt great, I had achieved something I always wanted to do."

Jeremy Hayhurst, station commander at Fairweather Green, said: "It's great to have a mix of personnel. It's overdue."

The women's career awareness day will be on September 22. A general taster day takes place on September 8 and on September 21 sessions are aimed at people from ethnic minorities. All will be at the service headquarters in Birkenshaw.

To register for a place visit www.wyorks fire.org.uk e-mail recruitment@wyorks fire.org.uk or call (01274) 655814.