Firefighters say lives are at risk because of a staffing crisis at an East Sussex village station.

Figures released yesterday revealed the Herstmonceux fire engine was unavailable for 20 per cent of the time each week over the summer because not enough of the part-time crew were available to man it.

Staffing levels have dropped so low even the minimum number of four needed to run the engine has been difficult to muster.

Bosses of the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service have blamed the difficulty in recruiting part-time or retained crews on the lack of people living and working in the village, near Hailsham.

Dave Yates, station manager at Herstmonceux, said: "Unfortunately, the situation here is reaching crisis point.

"We've recently lost four firefighters who have moved away from the area and the situation is going to get worse because another firefighter will be moving away at the end of the year.

"Our concern is that this is putting the lives of people in the Herstmonceux area at risk.

"It may sound melodramatic but seconds really can mean the difference between life and death at some incidents."

Mr Yates warned if the engine was unavailable, crews from neighbouring Hailsham and Hellingly would have to attend and the delay could prove fatal.

In an attempt to recruit more retained firefighters, the crew from Herstmonceux will be taking the fire engine into the centre of the village on Saturday to talk to members of the public about the job.

Retained firefighters must live or work near the fire station and remain on-call through their pager.

They are paid a retaining fee for their availability and for every call they attend.

Mr Yates said: "We would ask anyone who lives or works in Herstmonceux to give some serious thought to becoming a retained firefighter."

To find out more, or just talk to the crew to see what is involved, see them in the village this Saturday or call into the station after 7pm on Mondays.