FIREFIGHTERS from three different stations joined together to take part in a drill that could be the difference between life and death.

Crews from Carlisle East, Carlisle West and Penrith all attended the Holme Head Bay in Denton Holme, Carlisle to take part in a swift water rescue exercise, coined Brass Monkeys to accurately sum up the temperature of the water.

The task given to the 14 firefighters was to rescue four casualties from different water locations in the bay.

A range of tactics and pieces of equipment were used, such as life jackets, a pole to determine the depth of the water and a lifeboat.

Intersecting with the River Caldew, the water current can often be unpredictable.

Just last weekend fire crews were called to rescue a man who had fallen into the River Eden.

Watch manager for Carlisle East Fire Station, Stuart Adams said: "We have to read the water, look at what it is doing. Training can give them new ideas."

Mr Adams says the difference this sort of training can make could be huge.

"It can be massive. If you are turning up at an area and you know what it is like with different river levels.

"You can turn up thinking about what you need to do in different water levels."

He continued: "We do know that children play here in summer months.

"We are preparing for real life events."

Leading the session was Carlisle East station manager, Anthony Rooney.

He said: "We have all the equipment to enter the water as safely as possible.

"Without the training we wouldn't be able to do this. For example, somebody could be sucked downstream."

Mr Rooney warned of the dangers of being in and around a beck: "We don't want children playing by the beck. They often use this as a swimming area, but weirs are a dangerous place to swim.

"They should be avoided at all costs.

"Dog walkers can also fall in too. It is not something you can predict, these things happen.

"It may look nice, but it is a dangerous place to be."