More firefighters are needed in Abingdon and Didcot to meet Government safety standards.

The Home Office recommends that the first appliance to arrive at an incident should have a crew of five firefighters, and has set brigades a target of 75% compliance.

But between March last year and April this year, the number of incidents attended by a crew of five from Didcot was just 32 per cent, while Abingdon was only slightly higher at 36 per cent.

At next Monday's meeting of Oxfordshire County Council's public protection committee, councillors will be asked to spend £110,000 for four new firefighters - two at Abingdon and two at Didcot.

A report to the committee said: "This would allow the brigade to achieve the Home Office recommended levels of emergency response to a substantially increased level."

The report said the extra firefighters at Abingdon and Didcot would also reduce stress levels on existing crews.

The recommendation for more staff was included in Her Majesty's Inspector of Fire Services report for 2001.

Oxfordshire Fire Service is also being asked to provide a "salary supplement" for the new staff.

This will enable firefighters to afford suitable housing near the two fire stations in Ock Street, Abingdon, and Broadway, Didcot.

Of the brigade's 24 fire stations, six are staffed by both full-time and retained (part-time) staff.

Of the six stations, a day-crewing system is used at Kidlington, Didcot and Abingdon fire stations with six firefighters posted to each Watch provide 24-hour cover.

The target of providing five firefighters at each incident is impossible to sustain from a Watch strength of six, according to the report.