Firefighters across the News Shopper patch are getting a new look - replacing their out-dated 20-year-old uniform.

Crews in Bexley, Bromley, Lewisham and Greenwich have donned new trousers, t-shirts, short sleeved shirts, jackets and sweatshirts.

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The jackets and shirts come complete with the London Fire Brigade crest and logo to make staff easily identifiable to members of the public.

Kitting out around 5,000 operational staff was a huge undertaking for the Brigade and in a major delivery programme, approximately 5,000 jackets and sweatshirts, 15,000 pairs of trousers, 20,000 shirts and around 25,000 t-shirts were supplied to London’s 103 fire stations.

London Fire Brigade’s Borough Commander for Bexley, Richard Welch, said : "As well as fighting fires and responding to emergencies, a crucial part of a firefighter’s job is to work with the local community and talk to people about how they can prevent fires from starting in the first place.

"It’s really important that the public know what our staff look like when they visit their homes to give fire safety advice and fit smoke alarms. The new work wear uniform not only gives our firefighters a really professional look, it makes them easily identifiable."

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As well as being worn when they are out doing fire prevention work , the new uniform will also be worn under their protective fire gear when firefighters are responding to emergencies.

To ensure it was up to standard, the new kit underwent rigorous testing to assess its performance under protective equipment. This included training in real fire conditions and working with ladders and breathing apparatus.