FIREFIGHTER John Hitchins has dealt with everything from fires on the hills to trapped animals during his 34 years with the brigade.

Mr Hitchins, aged 58, of Meadow Road, joined up as a retained (part-time) fireman in May 1975, and has just retired.

But retirement doesn't mean he'll no longer see his workmates, because he's still doing his day job as a breathing apparatus technician at the fire service depot in Betony Road.

He said: "I remember the Malvern Hills in 1976, when we had something like 30 call-outs to grass fires. In the biggest ones, we had the army and the RAF in to help us and we had a mobile canteen where we could get bacon, sausages and beans."

Not everything he attended was a serious crisis. "One time we were called out to a baby with its finger stuck down a plughole. We couldn't get it out and in the end we had to cut a section out of the bath. The father wasn't very pleased because it was a new bath.

"Another time, someone dropped 50p down the back of a sofa, and got his hand stuck, and we had to free him."

He's even assisted at rescuing a cat from a tree.

"Most of the time it's been a great job. I've met some fantastic people," he added.