Firefighters turned away from crash

Military crews were already on the scene

Striking firefighters in Leeds left their picket line to help at a road accident but claim they were turned away.

Two people are still in hospital following the crash on Ashton road in Harehills.

Firefighters from Gipton station turned out to assist the military crew at the scene but were told to leave by army personnel and a senior fire officer.

West Yorkshire MoD spokesman, Captain Richard Hawkins told BBC News Online: "We have a lot of incidents where firefighters have come to help us out - but on this occasion the help was not needed."

Firefighters angry

A green goddess crew, specialist unit and paramedics were already attending the accident, accompanied by a senior fire officer.

But firefighters who left their picket line say they are angry that their efforts were wasted.

Leading firefighter Chris Lightfoot told BBC News Online: "We did not take the decision to go there lightly and we are extremely frustrated at being told to leave."

Striking firefighters did assist military crews at another incident on Wednesday night when they responded to a house fire in Leeds.

House fire callout

The army received a callout to say that a woman and her two children were trapped in a blaze in Willand Avenue in Rothwell.

Police had already helped them down out of an upstairs window by the time the green goddess arrived.

But moments later a team of regular firefighters turned up and helped to put the fire out using their red fire engine.

Green Goddesses responded to 29 incidents across West Yorkshire on Wednesday night.