Climbing up a fire training tower or looking for casualties in a confined space is not for the faint hearted.

These are some of the fears teenagers have to overcome on the young firefighter cadet course, a mini crash course into life as a firefighter.

The 17 weeks of practical and classroom-based training is no easy ride.

It is split into two-and-a-half hour sessions every Monday and only those who really want to be there are kept on.

See this week's paper for full story and pictures.