A LONG SERVING firefighter was recognised for 20-years of duty in a celebratory presentation from his colleagues this week.

Jonathan Wickens, 47, a firefighter at Andover Fire Station, is celebrating two decades in the fire service after joining at 27-years-old.

On Tuesday, November 20, he was presented with an award for his long service and good conduct by station manager Fred Pettersson in a surprise event.

Speaking after the surprise, Jonathan said: “I thought we were going out to do a Safe And Well Visit on the pump and then we were lined up in front of the engine and I sort of realised what might be going on.”

Before joining the fire service, Jonathan spent eight years in the Navy.

At 25, he left to go travelling and spent a year living in Australia, then upon his return, Jonathan began working at Basingstoke fire Station, then after 14 years, he moved to Andover fire station.

He added: “So yeah, 20 happy years in the job. It has changed a fair bit, but I think the core of its still recognisable isn’t it? You’re still going out in Red fire engines

“All the people I’ve worked with, both here and in Basingstoke, have always been good. It’s always been like a big group of people and everyone does get on, it’s that banter and all that stuff is great.

“There’s always interesting variance in the incidents we go to. It’s a bit cliche to say it but it is true, you never know what you’re going to go to that day, it’s an interesting concept. You can go anywhere .

You could go to Wiltshire for a thatch fire, have an accident on the A303, or even trapped animals. It’s the variation of it.”

One of the biggest fires Jonathan has attended during his career was Tangley House in 2000, where a devastating fire ripped through the £3m home of Tory MP Michael Colvin and his wife Nichola who both died in the blaze.

Colleague Rob Cable said: “John is a very good professional firefighter. He’s got a very obscure and strange sense of humour and film taste, which fits in quite nicely here.

“He’s very well travelled, probably the best travelled man we all know.”

Workmate Stephen Whitby added: “He’s one of the best blokes I’ve worked with I would say.”