Uroosa Arshid, the UK’s first hijab-wearing firefighter, has been celebrated by Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue for her efforts working to keep the county safe.

She works at West Bridgford fire station and has been in the fire service for two years.

The 27-year-old from Aspley said, “I’ve always wanted to be a firefighter, I’ve dreamed about it since I was little. It’s so rewarding. I go to work every day and know I am contributing and possibly helping to save lives.

“Being who I am, it came with a variety of barriers. Not only was I a woman and a person of faith, but I was also the first operational firefighter in the UK to wear a hijab.”

“This was challenging because there wasn’t yet anything in place for me to practise my faith as well as carry out my role safely. I worked with various colleagues to research and find a solution for this, and we succeeded.

“But we are still working to create our own product that I hope will inspire other people with differences to come forward and take the challenge on in their own way.”