A brand new £10 million fire station and training centre officially opened in Ramsgate today.

The base supports 22 firefighters from full-time Kent Fire and Rescue Service crews and 14 on-call firefighters allowing them to be ready for emergencies any day of the year.

The fire service says the new station - home to two fire engines - brings their training facilities into the 21st century with crews more prepared than ever to tackle blazes.

New fire station opens in Ramsgate

Primary school children from St Laurence-in-Thanet Church of England Junior Academy were given a sneak preview of the station as they toured around, met crews, played with the hose jets and were given fire safety tips.

The new home in Newington Road is also a base for the British Red Cross, which has a vehicle permanently based at the station too, and has space the police and ambulance service can use.

Firefighters have moved from the town's previous station in Effingham Street - which had been home to the fire service for 113 years.

The training facility includes a smoke house and marine rig, where realistic scenarios can be created and firefighters can practice and develop their skills. There’s also classroom spaces and a conference style room.

On Tuesday, 24 new firefighter recruits spent the day at the new training centre, 12 firefighters on a marine firefighting course, and 12 others on a first aid course.

But the service says the number of firefighters using the facility will vary on a day to day basis depending on the type of training being carried out.

A small piece of history from the town's old fire station features in the new building.

The mould of the original Effingham Street station plaque is now located proudly at the entrance of the new building.

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It was originally designed for horse-drawn fire engines but is now set to be taken over by Ramsgate Town Council and has been earmarked for community use.

Ramsgate's first fire station is believed to have been in York Street with the earliest records dating a station there in 1878.

The station then moved to Effingham Street 27 years later in 1905 before moving to Newington Road late last year.

Nick Chard, chairman of the Kent and Medway Fire and Rescue Authority, who officially opened the station's doors, said: "I am delighted to be officially opening the new Ramsgate fire station that will provide effective emergency cover for the area for generations to come.

"It’s in a good location for road networks that will help us provide an excellent emergency service for local people.

"As well as being an operational fire station and training facility for firefighters across the county, it’s a hub for partnership working with agencies such as Kent Police and South East Coast Ambulance Service, as well as the British Red Cross who we are happy to share our new premises with."