Newton Abbot firefighters have said farewell to a longstanding colleague described as ‘the cornerstone’ of the station.

Gary Robinson, who has served Newton Abbot fire station for more than 27 years and attended thousands of incidents in that time, hung up his helmet for the final time on Sunday (August 31).

‘Gary has had a colossal impact on everybody who has had the privilege to work alongside him,’ a spokesperson from Newton Abbot Fire Station said. ‘There will be so many people that will have either been rescued, helped or interacted with Gary without ever knowing the true measure and worth of this man.’

His colleagues described him as ‘a shining example of exactly what a fire fighter should be’ and said the depth of his knowledge and experience alongside his humour would never be replicated.