Firefighters at scene of 1980 house blaze reunited

Chris said: “In 1980 I was wandering around the Eastgate estate with my camera when I heard sirens and smelt and spotted smoke arising from a house in Flag Fen Road. The picture I took included firefighters Barry Hodges on the left and Dave Jinks on the right. Dave, married with two daughters and grandchildren, joined Huntingdon and Peterborough fire department in 1970 before it became Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue.

“He retired due to ill health in 1994, but joined the ambulance service two years later. In fact as a paramedic I had attended fires and road traffic accidents with Dave and it was good to see him again working for the ambulance service. He then retired completely in 2014.”

Dave said: “I loved the comradeship in the fire service, it was like a second family as we were together all the time.”

Barry worked for the Cambridgeshire service for 12 years from 1975 but had to leave after he hurt his back. He went on to manage two pubs, work in retail management and had his own forge and worked as a blacksmith making goods for homes and gardens.

Barry, married with two children and lives in Lincolnshire, said: “The fire service was the best career, it was a good life and I enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie.”

Chris added: “Out of over 300 reunions it one of the most challenging. The new tenants were amazed when I showed them my picture from 35 years earlier.”