New facility a major investment for Island

Fire chiefs say their first on-Island training facility will make the fire and rescue service stronger and more highly skilled.

Work began last week on a bespoke live fire training complex near the Energy from Waste plant outside Douglas.

It's costing more than half a million pounds to build, but will mean officers no longer have to leave the Island for courses in the UK.

In the past, that has left the Manx service depleted in the event of a major emergency.

Deputy chief fire officer John Murtagh says Island firefighters will gain up-to-the-minute training for the situations they're likely to face: