A FIREFIGHTER from Kidderminster is to pit his professional skills against his counterparts from all over the globe in an international competition.

It will be a team effort, as James Bainbridge will be partnered by his wife, Nikki, a management consultant, who can participate as the spouse of a firefighter.

The event, the World Firefighter Games, is held every other year and takes place in Hong Kong next February.

Mr Bainbridge, 30, and Mrs Bainbridge, 34, of Vine Street, will be competing for the second time, having taken part in Sheffield last year.

Described by Mr Bainbridge as being similar to a mini-Olympics, with a variety of individual and team events, the games are based on disciplines relevant to firefighting skills.

The couple, who have three children, bagged a respectable haul of medals in Sheffield, with Mr Bainbridge, a former pupil of Blakedown First, Sion Hill Middle and King Charles I High schools, taking five silvers and a bronze.

Mrs Bainbridge, who attended Wolverley High School and is a governor at Comberton Middle School, claimed a gold, five silvers and a bronze.

Both are keen swimmers and Mr Bainbridge won a national title in the sport, aged 12, in 1986.

Looking ahead to the Hong Kong challenge, he said: "There are some events - like the toughest firefighter alive - that are directly attributable to some of the skills we would use at work."

He went on: "It's the first one we will have done out of this country. Last year was the first one we have done.

"We thought it was a good exercise to see a little bit of the world and put our skills to the test.

"We're really looking forward to competing. The cultural differences will be fun as well. It's great to mix with people from the same profession and see some of the notable differences between the way we do things."

The couple are paying their own way to Hong Kong and will foot the bill for their accommodation but would welcome sponsorship from businesses or individuals to subsidise GB branded outfits they will wear in the competition.

Mr Bainbridge, who spent six years at Kidderminster Fire Station and is now based at Bromsgrove, can be contacted on 01562 748323 or 07718 057905.