A GROUP battling to get a disused fire station in Haworth reopened now has access its own emergency vehicle, thanks to a purchase made by one of its members.

Haworth resident Iain Chapman used his own money to buy the fire engine, which had previously been used by Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service.

Mr Chapman is a member of the Friends of Haworth and Worth Valley Fire Station.

Friends chairman, Steve Thorpe, said Mr Chapman's acquisition is "brilliant", but stressed the fire engine will not be responding to any emergencies.

"Everything works on it and it's fully equipped, but we won't be doing anything silly," he explained. "This is just for training and promotional purposes.

"It'll be for the cadet group we've started and also to take out to carnivals, processions and other public events.

"It's great to have access to it because it shows that as a group we're not messing about and we mean business. We want something special up at the Haworth Fire Station. We really want this to happen.

"I know Iain has been planning on buying the fire engine for a while. He's spent his own money on it, so nothing has come from anything donated to the Friends."

Mr Thorpe said the newly-formed Worth Valley Fire and Emergency cadets group was due to hold its first meeting at Haworth Primary School yesterday evening.

It will continue to meet at the school at 7pm each Wednesday to teach youngsters basic safety and emergency-related skills.

Mr Thorpe said: "This is for young people aged ten to 18, and we've got ten kids signed up already, most of them at the younger end of the age range.

"A pair of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue employees will be running activities for the cadets in their own time, and we'll also be getting input from the police, ambulance service and mountain rescue. We've been given a Community Chest grant with which to buy equipment.

Our plan is to ultimately have the cadets meeting at Haworth Fire Station, though it seems we're still quite a long way from being able to do that."

The retained fire station closed at the end of 2014 as part of cost-cutting measures.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service still owns the property, but is looking to sell it off.

This is despite the Friends group and Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury Parish Council pushing for the building to be reopened as a community-run emergency services facility for the whole of the Worth Valley.

Campaigners reacted angrily earlier this month after a decision to have the fire station declared an 'Asset of Community Value' was overturned by a senior Bradford Council officer.

Parents interested in signing their children up for the Worth Valley Fire and Emergency Cadets group can call 079696 58743 to contact Mr Thorpe.