Blaze victims join Windsor fire station fight

A couple whose popular restaurant was nearly destroyed by a blaze in the early hours have joined the fight to save Windsor fire station from being closed at night.

Franco Bosa and Jayne Whyte have run the Piccola Venezia in Slough Road, Datchet, for 10 years. This week the restaurant is re-opening four months after fire gutted the kitchen and left the rest of the premises severely smoke damaged.

Jayne said: "If Windsor's firefighters had not get there quickly the whole building could have been destroyed, taking the offices upstairs and the home next door with it. We are right behind the campaign to keep our nearest fire station open 24 hours a day."

Meanwhile the Royal Borough has suffered a setback in its fight to stop plans by Berkshire Fire Authority to shut Windsor's fire station between 8am and 8pm. It is fighting for the right to take control of the fire services in Windsor and Maidenhead, breaking away from the Berkshire authority which currently controls cover across the county.

But on Friday the Local Government Association in London refused to back the plan. The Royal Borough is not giving up and now plans to apply directly to the Secretary of State.