FIREFIGHTERS will showcase their lifesaving skills at a garden centre as they race against the clock to free a casualty from a car crash.

Hereford and Worcester fire and rescue service will be staging two challenges this year – the trauma challenge and the road traffic collision challenge at Webbs Garden Centre in Wychbold, near Droitwich.

Twelve teams from across the country will be taking place in the road traffic collision challenge and nine teams will compete in the trauma challenge on Saturday, July 16 between 9am and 5pm.

The public will have the chance to see firefighters showcase their lifesaving skills as they compete in rescue challenges to win a place in the national UKRO (United Kingdom Rescue Organisation) Challenge 2016.

The trauma challenge will test the response of participants who will face one of a selection of trauma incidents and be expected to identify and treat the injuries found.

Those taking part in the road traffic collision challenge will have 20 minutes to safely extricate trapped casualties from a simulated road traffic collision.

The winner from each category will then go forward to compete at the National UKRO Challenge which will take place in Hampshire in September this year.

Chief fire officer Nathan Travis said: “These challenges are designed to further enhance the skills of our firefighters so that they can respond to incidents in the best way possible. Furthermore, the event provides the opportunity for the public to witness the vital lifesaving skills of their local firefighters as well as showcase the standard of professional rescue available to our communities.”

Ed Webb, chairman of Webbs said “It’s a privilege to be able to see their skills and hard work in action at such close quarters and to get an idea of what they face every day.”