Aussie fireman Lee Docherty has swapped battling blazes Down Under for fire fighting Up North as part of a whistle-stop tour back to his roots.

Lee, 24, of North West Queensland, went on duty with the firefighters of Bradford's Nelson Street station this week to see how the job is done on this side of the world.

He was invited to join the crew by leading firefighter Steve Wolstenholme whose niece Stephanie emigrated to Oz eight years ago and is now Lee's girlfriend.

Mine rescue specialist Lee said: "Fire fighters are pretty much the same around the world but these guys at Bradford are something special. They're expected to know so much about so many different types of incidents. I specialise in chemical and mining disasters but as well as this, they have to know about rescuing people trapped in car smashes and workers trapped in machinery."

Lee admitted that firefighting in Bradford had come as a bit of a culture shock - and it was not just the freezing cold summer that surprised him.

In Australia he works as a firefighter for the Western Mining Corporation at an opencast mine 800 miles away from the nearest town and has to fly to work.

Some of his more unusual duties include keeping venomous snakes out of the mine and tackling ammonia leaks from the mine's chemical plant.

Bradford firefighter Steve Wolstenholme, who drives three miles to work every morning, and has never had to rescue anyone from a mine, said: "I think he's seen how tough we have it in the big city! Hopefully he will get to see the sort of jobs he doesn't get to deal with over there. There aren't many car crashes and things like that in the middle of nowhere in Queensland.

"He might get to see the problems we have with gangs of youths here which he doesn't get."

After experiencing firefighting in Bradford, Lee will travel to Scotland to visit the place his family emigrated from to Australia. He will then tour Europe before heading for home.

e-mail:

ian.midgley@bradford.newquest.co.uk