A leading fire chief in Herts has further delayed his retirement to help fight Covid crisis.

The assistant chief fire officer of Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, who was due to retire last summer, will serve another six months to help with the ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic.

ACFO Gus Cuthbert was due to retire from the service on July 31 last year.

However, a report before the county council's Employment Committee meeting this month stated that due to his significant involvement in the service's response to Covid, the service was unable to readily recruit a suitable replacement at this time.

Last July, the service proposed ACFO Cuthbert was re-engaged in his role from August 17 last year.

This was for a limited period of six months, but due to the ongoing response to Covid, a further extension of six months was requested starting from this week.

Committee chairman and leader of the council, councillor David Williams, said: "It is important to recognise that Gus has lead on the strategic co-ordination group on behalf of the fire and rescue service.

"It's appropriate we are all now aware the chief fire officer himself is due to retire later in the year.

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"It means it is eminently sensible we make this arrangement and extend the date for Gus' retirement through to July."

The committee agreed to the further temporary extension and a replacement ACFO will be sought as a priority.