Crews leave picket to help

Green Goddesses were called into action in Sheffield.

Firefighters from South Yorkshire left the picket line to attend a serious road crash on Saturday.

A man was trapped after a two-vehicle collision on Church Street, Swinton, near Rotherham.

Two Green Goddesses, a Red Goddess and two specialist units were in attendance when a fire engine also turned up.

"The fire brigade's cutting equipment failed to get the roof off so we did that," Captain Peter Lee, spokesman for the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, told BBC News Online.

Team effort

"It was then a 50/50 job to release the man."

The victim was taken to Rotherham District General hospital with serious injuries.

The incident happened at 1430 GMT.

Earlier three Green Goddesses were called to a building fire in Sheffield.

They found rubbish burning in a building at the back of the steel works on Ecclesfield Road.

The firefighters collect public donations.

The first 24 hours of the strike saw 39 emergency calls made.

Of these, two were hoaxes and one was a house fire.

Meanwhile, firefighters say they are "overwhelmed" with the support they have gained from the public.

Paul Matthewman, Fire Brigade Union Secretary for South Yorkshire, told BBC News Online: "The support from the public has been phenomenal.

"One lady yesterday put £300 in our bucket.

"The public support keeps our spirits up."

He added: "We don't want to strike but we are determined to see this through."