Hero fireman saves coloured playground

10:42am Tuesday 5th December 2000

CARING firemen hosed down a childrens playground after it was doused in powdered paint by mindless thugs during an overnight attack.

A member of the public alerted Bromley Council to the devastation at the Church Road, Biggin Hill, recreation ground, last Saturday morning.

After inspecting the scene, senior parks superviser Gordon Humble, a former fireman of 22 years, was unable to contact contractors to clean up the site.

Fearing youngsters would attempt to climb over the locked gates, Mr Humble called into the Biggin Hill fire station where sub-officer Malcolm Floyd, in charge of Green Watch, agreed to help.

Within minutes a crew of six was at the scene, hosing down the roundabout, slide, swings, and other equipment.

After refilling the engines tank three times, the playground was finally scrubbed clean.

Said Mr Humble: "It looked like a new pin. Later that afternoon it was full of children and parents, oblivious as to what had gone on."

Sub-officer Floyd was on night duty as the News Shopper went to press but a colleague on White Watch said: "Thats typical of Malcolm - always putting others first.

"To him, hes just doing his job and the other watches here would have done the same."

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