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| Fireman Sam axed as brigade mascot for not being inclusive | Fireman Sam axed as brigade mascot for not being inclusive |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Fireman Sam has been axed as a mascot for a fire brigade over fears he could put women off joining. | Fireman Sam has been axed as a mascot for a fire brigade over fears he could put women off joining. |
| Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service said the children's TV character was outdated and did not reflect the message it wanted to achieve. | Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service said the children's TV character was outdated and did not reflect the message it wanted to achieve. |
| The decision follows complaints by staff and members of the public. | The decision follows complaints by staff and members of the public. |
| Chief fire officer Les Britzman said Fireman Sam would be replaced with fire extinguisher-shaped mascots called Freddy, Filbert and Penelope. | Chief fire officer Les Britzman said Fireman Sam would be replaced with fire extinguisher-shaped mascots called Freddy, Filbert and Penelope. |
| Mr Britzman said the service already struggled to recruit women firefighters and the character would no longer be used in its promotional material. | Mr Britzman said the service already struggled to recruit women firefighters and the character would no longer be used in its promotional material. |
| "There's been a lot of research that says that images that young people have about what careers they want to do are formed when they are about four or five. | "There's been a lot of research that says that images that young people have about what careers they want to do are formed when they are about four or five. |
| "If you are promoting that image we might be stopping people wanting to apply for the fire service 20 years down the line." | "If you are promoting that image we might be stopping people wanting to apply for the fire service 20 years down the line." |
| The decision has been backed by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), which said it did not reflect attempts to diversify the fire service. | The decision has been backed by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), which said it did not reflect attempts to diversify the fire service. |
| FBU executive council member Ben Selby said: "We're not bothered about Fireman Sam. | |
| "We're bothered by the subconscious message the term fireman has created as an issue in our recruitment." | "We're bothered by the subconscious message the term fireman has created as an issue in our recruitment." |
| London Fire Brigade has tweeted in support of the move but many others have criticised it. | London Fire Brigade has tweeted in support of the move but many others have criticised it. |
| The children's show, set in the fictional Welsh town Pontypandy, has been a mainstay on TV screens since it was created in the 1980s by London firefighter Dave Jones. | The children's show, set in the fictional Welsh town Pontypandy, has been a mainstay on TV screens since it was created in the 1980s by London firefighter Dave Jones. |
| It has come under fire in the past for being sexist, with calls for it to be renamed Firefighter Sam. | It has come under fire in the past for being sexist, with calls for it to be renamed Firefighter Sam. |
| Mr Britzman said he would consider bringing back the character if this was done. | Mr Britzman said he would consider bringing back the character if this was done. |
| "The show itself is modern and up to date but the title isn't," he said. | "The show itself is modern and up to date but the title isn't," he said. |
| "No-one in the country is called fireman anymore. It's firefighter. That's their rank." | "No-one in the country is called fireman anymore. It's firefighter. That's their rank." |