Fire rescue boats sent to Africa

The boats will be taken to The Gambia this month

Old rescue boats from the West are being taken out of retirement to be used in West Africa.

Four inflatable boats from Avon Fire Brigade are being sent to The Gambia to help people there deal more effectively with emergency situations.

The service has already sent more than 20 fire engines to the country.

The idea came from a Bristol firefighter who saw a car crash while on holiday there and was appalled at how little emergency help there was.

A team of firefighters will take the boats - which will help people tackle sea and river emergencies - to The Gambia.