MIDDLEWICH collected three awards at Cheshire Fire Service's annual awards ceremony.

A business, a fire cadet leader and the town's Clean Team were honoured at last week's event for their work to make the town a safer place.

Alan Owen, volunteer leader of Middlewich Fire Cadets, received a Community Safety Award for helping to establish a thriving unit.

The units get young people between the ages of 13 to 18 to meet weekly under the guidance of volunteers to work with firefighters and the public. They carry out fire drills and charity car washes, go on summer camp and are even sponsoring the building of a school in Ghana.

A spokesman for the fire service said: 'Since taking on the role he has proved invaluable in organising events.

'We wish to recognise his commitment.'

As we reported last week, members of the Middlewich Clean Team also got a Community Safety Award because of their tireless work which, as a result of making the streets cleaner, meant rubbish fires in the town have been reduced by more than half.

Imetec (UK) Ltd received a Community Safety Award after testing more than 100 electric blankets free of charge for members of the community during a safety campaign led by firefighters. Amazingly, 80% failed a basic safety check, which the company then replaced at manufacturing cost only.