HANGING up his helmet in retirement after 29 years is John King ? a reserve leading firefighter who holds the unusual distinction of serving two stations.

John, 55, was a member of the North Tawton complement when he moved to Okehampton 12 years ago.

He said: ?Since then I have been involved with both stations. I have been doing North Tawton by day and Okehampton by night and weekends because I live in Okehampton and work in North Tawton.

John, a workshop manager at Gregory?s distribution, North Tawton, said he joined the fire service to help the community.

?It?s a difficult job but every time you go out on the engine you get a buzz because it?s something different every time,? he said.

?You are helping people and it breaks the boredom of work. You don?t get the fires you used to but there are more road traffic accidents and alarms.?

John said there were not the number of chimney fires there used to be because there is so much more central heating and gas ? and the public are more safety conscious about fires.

?It is a different form of fire service today. I have seen it change,? he said.

?I have had one or two scary moments over the years. In the very hot summer of 1976 we were always out. In my time I have had several big moorland fires ? I have walked miles on Dartmoor!?

He said there were occasions when he asked himself why he did the job ? but these moments were few and far between.

?I have enjoyed it. It has kept me fit because you go training once a week.?

John said it was sometimes difficult to recruit retained fire fighters.

?It is hard to get them because people don?t work in the community like they used to. A lot of people travel out of town to work. North Tawton is lucky because it has a full complement.?

North Tawton station commander Twiggy Lake described John as ?a quiet, gentle man?.

?His fire cover has been exceptional. He has always been there. He is dedicated to the job. He will be sadly missed,? he said.

John is particularly proud of the fact that his two sons Paul and Ian are fire fighters at North Tawton.

John will leave the fire brigade on January 27. His North Tawton colleagues are marking his retirement with a special farewell dinner. Tomorrow there will be a presentation at the Okehampton fire fighters? dinner and dance at the rugby club which will also be attended by North Tawton fire fighters.