Norfolk County Council has spent £1m on a ladder - but one which will play a life-saving role in emergency rescues and tackling blazes.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue's latest addition to its fleet is a new aerial ladder platform which can reach heights of 45 metres - almost 150 feet.

Fire chiefs say the new vehicle - a Bronto Skylift F45XR ALP - will mean the county's firefighters will be able to tackle fires in areas which are unsafe to enter from ground.

They say the platform also provides a bird's eye view, with a camera system feeding images back to fire officers at ground level.

Once the crews which will operate the equipment have been trained, the vehicle will be going "on the run" at North Earlham Fire Station.

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The aerial platform currently based there will be switched over to King's Lynn North to replace the vehicle there, which is at the end of its working life.

Chief fire officer Ceri SumnerChief fire officer Ceri Sumner (Image: Norfolk County Council) Chief fire officer Ceri Sumner said: "As a modern fire and rescue service, we want our teams to be able to attend emergencies safe in the knowledge that we have provided them with the best kit and equipment available to support them in all types of incidents.

"The new ALP and ongoing rollout of new fire engines is all part of that and replaces current equipment which has reached end of life."

The appliance was built by West Yorkshire-based Angloco and was designed in close collaboration with Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service.

Over the past year, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has introduced 22 new fire engines, at a cost of close to £7m.

In recent months, the service has also introduced a new fleet of response cars, with red Hyundai Tucson hybrid cars and Volvo XC60s replacing older vehicles.

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Margaret Dewsbury, Conservative-controlled Norfolk County Council's cabinet member for communities, said: "Providing our fire and rescue service with the best modern kit and equipment allows them to respond to emergencies right across Norfolk in the most appropriate way."