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Wakefield: Nesting bird puts fire training tower out of action
A fire station training tower has been declared out-of-bounds because a pair of blackbirds are nesting there.
The tower at Castleford Fire Station was built to replicate a block of flats and is a key training tool for all four watch crews and student firefighters.
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But the facility has been declared out of bounds while the birds are nesting and crews are travelling to neighbouring fire stations for their tower training.
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Firefighters first spotted the birds last week as they flew back and forth with twigs and straw to build its new home on a ledge under the tower's first floor.
Blackbirds and their nests are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which makes it an offence to take, damage or destroy the eggs, young or nest of a blackbird while it is being built or in use.
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Paul Graham, temporary green watch manager, said: "When the blackbird arrived we checked the law and we can't do anything to disturb it while it is nesting.
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"This means we can't use the tower until the bird has gone – which could be many weeks. The tower has been cordoned off so the blackbird can nest in peace."
He added: "It's not so bad for the firefighters because we can visit neighbouring stations to train, but it's causing big problems for our young firefighters from local high schools.
"They have their passing out parade in a few weeks and need to use the tower to practise their drills.
"The situation is out of our control and in the meantime they're using other training facilities to practice."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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