Recognition for more than a century in Northumberland's fire service

Generations of the Cooper family, from Alnwick, have served with Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) for a grand total of 115 years and have now been honoured with a Chief Fire Officer’s Certificate of Recognition.

David, Norman, John and Glyn Cooper all received framed certificates for their dedication to the fire and rescue service.

David, Norman and John’s father and Glyn’s grandfather, Frank Cooper, was also remembered posthumously.

Frank was a retained firefighter at Alnwick in the 1960s, David and Norman (now retired) and John all joined in the 1960s and ‘70s, while Glyn kept the family tradition going when he joined the service in 2007.

David said: “We’re a very close family and all into our sports and keeping fit, so joining the fire and rescue service seemed a good career choice.

“We never really thought about how many years we had done between us, but it is fantastic to be recognised by our colleagues for our time in the service. I know Dad would be very proud to be honoured in this way.”

Glyn, who joined as a retained firefighter in Alnwick in 2007 before becoming full-time in 2014, added: “What I think we’ve all found about the job is it’s a career where you can make a real difference to people’s lives.

“You never know what you’ll be doing from one day to the next and there’s a great camaraderie in working in a team.

“We’re also able to share lots of tales when we all get together.”

Chief Fire Officer Alex Bennett said: “This is a fantastic achievement and really emphasises what a great family this fire and rescue service is.

“We’ve had a number of family members working together in the service over the years but no one has come close to the Cooper family.”

Deputy leader of Northumberland County Council, Dave Ledger, who has responsibility for the fire and rescue service, added: “Firefighters play a key role in keeping communities safe across Northumberland and the fact one family has provided more than 100 years dedicated service is something we should all be very proud of.”