Dartmouth firefighter Barry Abraham is hanging up his helmet – ending a family link with the town's fire service going back more than 36 years.

Barry is also quitting his job at the BRNC to start a new life working for the prison service in London – where he will be joining his long-standing girlfriend.

Earlier this month 27-year-old Barry was chosen to play for the fire service England soccer squad. It was the first and last time the Dartmouth-born fire fighter will be able to stand in for the team as he leaves the fire service, his physical training job with the naval college and home town on October 1.

Barry has been part of the town's fire fighting team for the last five years. His father Denis had been a fire fighter with the same team in Dartmouth for 36 years until he retired last year.

Barry, who lives in Britannia Avenue, Dartmouth, said: 'Being in the fire service was something I always wanted to do. I won't be able to do it from London. It will be one of those things I will have to put to one side for the time being. I will miss it.'

Barry was born and brought up in Dartmouth and went to school at King Edward VI Community College in Totnes.

He has worked for the PT section at the naval college since he was 19.

His girlfriend Rosie Naish moved to London a year ago for a new job and now Barry is moving to join her after getting a job with the prison service.

Barry said he was looking forward to the new job which he said would be 'an exciting new challenge'.

He said that the couple's long-term aim was to move back to Dartmouth eventually.

Dartmouth fire team's watch commander Kevin Langworthy said the town was losing a 'good fireman' who will be a 'great loss' to the town's fire fighting team.

Meanwhile Barry's only outing with the fire service England squad which went ahead against a Royal Marine all England team at Lympstone in which Barry played in goal, ended in a one all draw.