Firefighter course suspended after trainees suspected of cheating

Richard Youle, local democracy reporter

A course for trainee firefighters has been suspended after recruits were suspected of cheating in an exam, fire chiefs have said.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it has launched an investigation.

The course had been taking place at the Earlswood Training Centre, Jersey Marine, Neath Port Talbot, where firefighter recruits are put their through their paces after having passed a selection process.

The fire service confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the current course has been suspended because recruits were suspected of cheating in an exam. It is not clear how many of the recruits were suspected of doing so.

“Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service are unable to provide any further comment pending the outcome of an internal investigation that has now commenced,” said a spokesman for the service.

The organisation covers six council areas and has just under 400 wholetime firefighters and a larger number of retained firefighters. Its budget for this financial year is £53.8 million.