Firefighter has her 40th birthday battling the big blaze

The proud mum of one of the firefighters who have been battling to control a mountain fire above Llangollen has spoken of how she had her 40^th birthday on the fire ravaged frontline.

Jayne Dulson went on Facebook to describe how her daughter Clare Dulson (pictured) spent her milestone birthday alongside her colleagues from Chirk fire station trying to contain the flames which were ripping through the moorlands near Llantysilio and the Horseshoe Pass.

And the organiser of the big effort to supply the firefighters with much-needed refreshments, Cat Meade from Wingetts estate agents in Llangollen, said that when the volunteer driver delivering food and drinks to the hard-pressed fire crews found out it was Clare’s birthday they served her with bacon butties plus a cream cake.

Clare is originally from Llangollen but now lives in Chirk.

Her mum Jayne says in her Facebook post, which has rapidly gone viral since appearing yesterday attracting over 1,000 likes: “This is my daughter Clare Dulson and she is one of the many firefighters that have been tackling the mountain fires over the last 11 days.

“I just want everyone to know how amazing she is because not only was she up there pretty much continually from Thursday morning until the early hours of this morning, with her colleagues from Chirk, and there is a chance they may go back, it was her 40th birthday yesterday and she dropped all her plans and chose to keep her crew available to fight the fires.

“They saw her birthday in with her, and out, and I can’t even imagine how tired they all are and therefore she didn’t have a birthday at all, or any celebrations, and while some have put on the here that “That’s what their paid to do anyway”, the hours they have put in are astounding and they are all heroes.

“She spent most of her birthday evening trying to contain some of the most challenging conditions that they have had so far ,and I was worried sick about her, but today she wanted no fuss, and said she would have rather been there than anywhere else, because of her love for the job, and her hometown.

“So, although she will not appreciate my post, I want to say huge thanks to all of the firefighters that have spent so long up there, whilst trying to juggle a day job, families and no sleep, and hope as many people as possible wish my daughter a very happy birthday for yesterday, and show our appreciation for our wonderful firefighters.”

Cat Meade, who has organised an online appeal for the firefighters’ supplies which has so far attracted donations well over £1,200, said: “When we found out that Clare was having her 40^th birthday up there we knew we had to do something a little special for her.

“The money we’d collected meant we could send them all bacon butties but we also gave Clare a nice big cream cake which was donated by a shop in Oswestry.

“We were delighted to help her celebrate her big birthday because she and he colleagues have been doing such a brilliant job up there for us.”       

UPDATE ...

The incident saw the closure of the Horseshoe Pass at the end of last week but North Wales Fire and Rescue Service has announced this morning that the old section - from Ruthin up to the Ponderosa - has now reopened.

The new section remains closed, a spokesman for the fire and rescue service added.

Two fire appliances remained on site overnight and there are plans to send three crews and an off-road vehicle up to the scene today.