Muammar Al Khadafi

Whole regions of the South West face an "ever increasing risk to life" as savage spending cuts bite and job losses continue to mount, leaving fire brigades at breaking point.

Figures, compiled by the Fire Brigades Union, show that numerous full time firefighters have lost their jobs, or simply not been replaced as they retire or leave, across the entire area.

Devon and Somerset have lost 52 posts, Wiltshire 34, Gloucestershire 28, Dorset 22. With even more cutbacks on the way expect these numbers to rise. The Fire Brigades Union has already warned that up to one in ten firefighters are at risk.

Matt Wrack, General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said that "There will be ever-increasing risk to life, homes, businesses and our cultural and natural heritage as the cuts bite harder year after year"

"The overall pool of resources is being drained away and it will get worse year after year.....We're over-stretched now, and frontline crews are making it clear we’ll be at breaking point when the cuts really bite over the next two years".

Between Labours mismanagement during their tenure in power, and ConDems cutting back everything in sight - other than the things we really should be cutting back on of course - the South West is in a mess.

We're not a Big Society, we'll soon be a Burning Society, sat there desperately hoping someone responds to our 999 call as our home burns down around us.

The coming years will be a nightmare for Britain as ConDem counts every penny, and leaves all of us counting the real cost of their misapplied and misguided cutbacks.