A WATER rescue boat was welcomed to Beaconsfield this week and its crew were soon in action.

The newly-trained unit was called to Charvill in Berkshire yesterday when a driver became stuck after driving her car into a ford. The driver was rescued before the car became fully submerged (see picture).

The unit was formally welcomed to Beaconsfield Fire Station, on Skelton Close, on Monday after its relocation from Marlow.

Despite moving the boat further away from water chiefs at Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue said the £120,000 investment will strengthen the service because crews will be “fully qualified and fully available”. The fire station at Beaconsfield is permanently crewed.

Chief Fire Officer Mark Jones added: “The move to Beaconsfield offers more flexibility in terms of training time."

The move follows a review of water-related incidents following the summer 2007 floods.

The water rescue unit helps save lives when people get into difficulties in waterways and floods, but also attends fires, car crashes and other emergency incidents.

The High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, Allan Westray, paid tribute to the unit: "I understand that there is no statutory duty for you to attend water incidents, but that you do so because there is a public expectation that you will, and because it is in keeping with the wide range of other work you do to save lives.”

"You are providing a wonderful service to the community, and it is greatly appreciated. This support is invaluable, and can never be over-stated."

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service has attended more than 100 water rescue incidents in Bucks and Milton Keynes over the past eight years, and has supported other brigades at incidents further afield.

In 2007 it attended 45 incidents, and helped rescue more than 100 people trapped by floods in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire, as well as helping more than 50 people to safety during floods affecting Buckingham.