A TOWN where people have been calling for more fire cover now has two new firefighters.

Worried councillors in Porthmadog have long-campaigned for additional coverage for the town after fears that residents were being placed at risk.

In December Cllr Selwyn Griffiths and Cllr Jason Humphreys reignited calls for more fire staff as the town only had six retained firefighters available to them.

The issue was highlighted recently when mother-of-four Tammy Humphreys lost her family home in Pensyflog estate following her son’s hover board setting alight, despite being only “five minutes” from the unmanned Porthmadog fire station.

On the day of the fire, crews from Harlech and Blaenau Ffestiniog had to attend the blaze as there were not enough retained firefighters available in Porthmadog for a call out.

However the number of retained firefighters has improved this week with the addition of Ian Sachs, along with one other resident from the town who are now trained to battle blazes in the area.

Porthmadog East County Councillor Nia Jeffreys was particularly pleased with the new additions, especially as Ian happens to be her husband.

“An extra two firefighters in Porthmadog is good news and I hope will encourage more volunteers to come forwards,” she told the Cambrian News. “I am so proud of my husband Ian for making the commitment to do it.

In Dwyfor and Meirionnydd, the fire service are particularly looking for potential recruits to staff fire stations in Dolgellau, Bala, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Porthmadog and Pwllheli.

Read the full story in this week’s north editions of the Cambrian News