Firefighting twins retire after 68 years of service

Identical twin brothers are retiring from the fire service with "incredible memories" after a combined 68 years of on-call duty.

Dave and Paul Minall were presented with certificates by chief fire officer Neil Odin at Whitchurch Fire Station, in Hampshire, during drill night on Wednesday.

Dave, who is a crew manager at the station, joined in May 1990, with his brother coming on board two years later, after initially failing to meet the height requirements.

Paul said he had "thoroughly enjoyed" the work and had witnessed "a great deal of change for the better over the years".

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) said both brothers had also enjoyed long careers at nearby Portals Paper Mill alongside their firefighting duties.

While on shift at the papermaking company, they would respond to neighbouring Overton Fire Station for call-outs.

Dave even made newspaper headlines about 20 years ago, after being stopped by police for speeding down a hill on his bicycle while on his way to the fire station to respond to an incident, said HIWFRS.

For Paul, a highlight he "recalls fondly" was when a local restaurant gave out meals to firefighters during a long incident.

The restaurant initially mistook Paul for his identical twin "coming back for seconds" and denied him any food.

He said being an on-call firefighter "is a big part of your life", adding: "But I have thoroughly enjoyed it and have witnessed a great deal of change for the better over the years.

"The crew at Whitchurch have become a second family and got me through some tough times.

"Being in the fire service has been really interesting and I take away with me some incredible memories."

Watch manager Rich Scarth described the twins as "two of the nicest men you could ever meet" and "valuable members" of the team.

He said: "On-call firefighters are required to balance their personal and work lives against their on-call responsibilities.

"To provide that service, for that many years, shows the dedication and commitment Dave and Paul have for our area and the people that live here."

Also departing the station is Dave's wife Tanya, who has cleaned the building since 2017.

Mr Scarth said the Minalls "will be missed by all, and will always be welcome to pop in for a cup of tea".

You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.