Publican John Nelson, is fired up for a new challenge -- as Bicester's station officer.

Mr Nelson succeeds Phil Cadle, who has just retired, in the top job at the town's station in Queen's Avenue.

The part-time fireman owns the Six Bells pub in Church Street, with his wife, Angela, but they have managers to help run the pub.

Mr Nelson is also a leading fireman with the Defence Fire Services at the Defence Storage and Distribution Centre in Arncott.

Mr Nelson said: "I love the work with the fire service. We do everything from fires and road accidents to other incidents like cats stuck in drains.

"Once we were called to rescue a rabbit that had got on to the parapet of the Buckingham Road railway bridge after escaping from its hutch in a nearby garden."