THE FIRE BRIGADES UNION has welcomed the arrival of two new recruits on a remote island, which means its fire brigade has almost as many women as men.

Fair Isle, which lies between Orkney and Shetland, has around 50 residents — of whom nine are trained firefighters.

The newest recruits to the brigade are Cloe Faita, a biologist who initially intended to stay on the island for just five months, and fellow Frenchwoman Marie Bruhat, who works in textiles. Their addition to the team means it now includes four women and five men.