YOUNG firefighters of the future were put through their paces at the weekend as families flocked to an annual open day in Worcester.

More than 1,000 people visited Castle Street fire station on Saturday, where getting to grips with jet hoses was just one of the activities keeping youngsters occupied.

As well as fire engine rides and a variety of games and stalls, there was also a serious side with a wealth of safety advice.

"The children do love to ride in fire engines on these open days, but for the adults we also had important advice with safety displays," said Alec Mackie, spokesman for Hereford and Worcester Fire Brigade.

"We were also offering free home fire safety checks."