A SPECIALLY equipped fire engine which will deal with major incidents across the whole of Greater Manchester is set to be stationed in Atherton.

Greater Manchester fire chiefs revealed that the new Incident Support Unit could be up and running at the Gloucester Street station from as soon as April next year.

The unit will be used at major incidents as a control base and to provide additional breathing apparatus, breathing sets and maintenance when needed.

A working group has been set up by Greater Manchester Fire Authority to decide what equipment should be put on to the Atherton ISU unit.

Atherton firefighters will be trained to use the new equipment later this year.

Fire Brigade Union representative for Atherton, Ralph Twiss, cautiously welcomed the plans.

He said: "We are aware of the plans by Greater Manchester Fire Authority to station an ISU at Atherton but that's about as much as we know about it. I think Atherton firefighters would be happy to use the equipment, but they want the pay dispute resolved."

Last month, 165 firefighters across Greater Manchester staged a series of unofficial walkouts after they refused to use the anti-terrorist equipment.

Firefighters want a 3.5 per cent pay rise which they say was due in November last year under terms agreed to resolve the fire dispute two years ago.