Restoration for historic Barnsley fire engine used in Blitz

The Leyland vehicle started what should have been a routine career in the town, after being manufactured in 1932.

But as the Luftwaffe laid waste to large areas of Sheffield over two nights in December 1940, it was called in to help with the emergency response.

Remarkably, it survived the war and ensuing decades but is now in need of urgent restoration - a project campaigners want to complete in time for the 85th anniversary of the attacks, which left more than 2,000 people killed or wounded.

The plan is to return it to its wartime livery, with the prospect of a permanent home at the National Emergency Services Museum at West Bar, Sheffield, with a ceremony planned for December 13.

That relies on the success of a new fund-raising drive, however, with a target of £18,000 to restore the machine and to acquire a roadworthy WW2 police car.

Neil Anderson, founder of the Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust, said: "This is not just any fire engine – it is a Barnsley machine that went into the heart of the inferno to help Sheffield when it needed it most. “It is an ultra rare survivor of those terrible nights, but after decades of hard use it now needs saving itself. We only have a few weeks to raise the funds if it is to be ready for the anniversary exhibition in December.

“This is a unique chance for the people of Barnsley and South Yorkshire to rally round and preserve a vital part of our shared history."

Matt Wakefield, CEO of the National Emergency Services Museum, added:

"This fire engine has a proud Barnsley story and a Sheffield story. It symbolises how communities pulled together during the Blitz, and it deserves to be saved. Donations can be made at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-rescue-sheffields-forgotten-blitz-heroes

Cheques can also be made payable to the Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust and posted to: Sheffield Blitz Memorial Trust, 88 Abbeydale Road South, Millhouses, Sheffield S7 2QP.