Representatives from the emergency services will meet with residents at a free family activity day in Saffron Walden.

A range of activities, organised by Saffron Walden Town Council, will take place in Market Square from 10am to 2pm on Friday, August 30.

Essex County Fire & Rescue Service will be in attendance, along with Uttlesford Community Policing and Saffron Walden Community First Responders (CFRs).

Attendees can meet rescue dogs, dress up and and see a variety of emergency vehicles - including the new fire tractor for Essex.

Tri-service rural community officer Andrea Adams said: "We are excited to be showcasing our new fire tractor in Saffron Walden and talk to residents about how valuable this is in our communities.

"Around 72 per cent of Essex is rural with 350,000 residents, 22,500 businesses and 250,000 hectares of farmed land.

"Farms are at a high risk of fire because there are often lots of combustible materials stored in or around agricultural buildings - and are also often in isolated locations which may have poor water supply.

"This makes farms much more vulnerable to a fire getting out of control, especially in summer when hot and dry weather increases the risk of wildfires spreading."

There will also be information available on the lifesaving treatment carried out by CFRs, and police will offer advice on staying safe, recruitment information and free bike marking.

Mark Webb, Saffron Walden CFR coordinator, said: "We are a group of likeminded people trained by the NHS but self-funded who respond to emergency medical 999 or 111 calls alongside East of England Ambulance Service Trust crews and other emergency services.

"As we are local to the Uttlesford area we are usually on scene before the ambulance and can therefore start lifesaving treatments.

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"As a volunteer service we give our time completely without pay. We attend on average 30 calls per month in and around Saffron Walden and its villages."

Families can also enjoy face-painting, storytelling and colouring with Essex Mobile Library.

Market Square, Market Place, Market Hill, Market Street, Butchers Row and King Street will be closed from 7am to 4pm on the day.