THE death of a Bolton firefighter, who drowned in a lodge while trying to save a teenager, had "far-reaching implications for the whole of the UK fire service", a court was told.

Fire chiefs across the country responded to the death of Paul Metcalf, at Simon's Lodge, Holcombe Brook, by demanding clearer policy on the type of incidents that firefighters were required to attend.

At the time of the tragedy on September 5, 1999, a firefighter's only statutory duty was to attend fires.

But Barry Dixon, County Fire Officer for Greater Manchester Fire Service, told the court that employees had always responded to a wide range of incidents, including road traffic accidents, chemical spillages and water rescues. He said: "There was no statute to respond to other incidents, and yet we were saving lives.

"We were having to make judgements in respect of safety.

"It is all very well bringing in experts to tell us how things should be done, but firefighters are Jacks Of All Trades."

The Health and Safety Initiative has brought Greater Manchester Fire and Civil Defence Authority to court, alleging that it failed in its duty as an employer to ensure, so far as it was practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of its employees for operations in, on or near water.

After the lodge tragedy, fire bosses appealed for funding to cover a statutory response to different types of incidents and the matter was taken up with the Local Government Association in London.

A Government Bill was drawn up to make it a firefighter's statutory duty to attend road traffic accidents.

Legislation was also considered to make responding to a chemical, biological, radiology and nuclear incidents a statutory duty.

The court heard that around 2,000 firefighters in Greater Manchester Fire Service embarked on a training programme about water-based rescues, which cost in the region of £250,000.

Mr Dixon said: "For 30 years, the fire service has developed, grown and responded to many types of incidents where people are in distress.

"As a service, I feel trapped in the middle."

Mr Metcalf, aged 40, entered the freezing water with a rope tied around his waste to help teenager Reyaz Ali who had disappeared below the surface when swimming with friends.

But the firefighter got into difficulties and died after attempts by colleagues to resuscitate him on the lodge bank failed.