FIREFIGHTERS have been praised for the help they gave during last year's severe flooding in Worcester.

The chief fire officer presented a certificate to Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service for their dedication and commitment when fire crews such as Warrington and Runcorn teamed together to fight the floods.

Authority chairman Clr Tony Hooton said: "This certificate will take pride of place at the service headquarters and will serve as a reminder of a time when all the country's emergency services pulled together during a crisis situation and worked as one."

At the peak of the floods, fire crews used one of Warrington Fire Service's rescue boats to save those who were stranded by floods of up to five feet deep.

Among those saved was an elderly couple and eight people trapped in a marina.