Fire fighters make use of the condemned Rounds Gardens blocks in Rugby to practise rescues from tall buildings

Fire fighters from across Warwickshire made use of the condemned Rounds Gardens blocks this morning as part of a training exercise - holding a 'rescue' from the fifth floor.

Crews from Rugby, Leamington, Atherstone, Nuneaton, Alcester and Polesworth carried out the exercise this morning, March 14.

A spokesperson for Rugby Fire Station explained that crews trained with breathing apparatus and new search and rescue protocols, also using a turntable ladder based in Leamington to conduct a rescue from the fifth floor.

This is the third exercise out of a planned five.

The spokesperson said: "This is an important part of our training to ensure crews are up to date with the latest procedures for keeping the public safe.

"Further exercises will take place later this month to allow different crews to get involved."

The blocks at Rounds Gardens will soon share the same fate as the blocks of Biart Place - with their demolition agreed in 2019.

Like Biart Place, the Rounds Gardens blocks were considered beyond economical repair, and, once demolition is complete, Rugby council plans to replace them with 221 ‘modern and aspirational’ council homes.

The date of the demolition is not yet known.