Puppies from the Medway branch of Guide Dogs for the Blind invaded Medway Fire Station for a special training day.

Fire crews welcomed nine puppies and their puppy walkers to the station in Watling Street, Gillingham, last month, to familiarise the pooches with a range of different environments and noises.

The nine pups, aged between six months to one-year, took part in a full station walkthrough from the drill yard, through the station and to the drill tower, a high-rise building firefighters use for training.

The dogs experienced a variety of sounds and smells, as well as different temperatures and floor surfaces, including going up and down stairs, all of which they will experience when they are fully trained as guide dogs.

Vanessa Johnson from the Guide Dogs Medway branch said: “We are very grateful to the team at Medway fire station for giving up their valuable time and providing a wide range of distractions, noises and moving objects.

“The pups all seemed comfortable in their surroundings despite numerous distractions including alarm bells, sirens, hoses and even a generator they walked by at close proximity.”

Watch manager, Shaun Humphries, who arranged the training visit, said: “Our new four-legged friends were very cute and I’m not sure who enjoyed the visit most.

“Like us, the pups’ future role is about helping to keep people safe and being ready to deal with whatever situation they are faced with. It was a pleasure to be able to help them gain this crucial experience.”