Building work is set to begin on a new crash, fire and rescue station at RAF Lossiemouth.

Air Marshal Gerry Mayhew was at the base today to cut the turf for the £9million project.

The station will enable firefighters to reach any part of the airfield in less than two-minutes in their new Oshkosh Striker vehicles.

These were brought into service on the base earlier this month and are fitted with a giant spike which can pierce an aircraft’s fuselage during an emergency.

Doing this provides firefighters with direct access to any internal fire.

That can make it easier to suppress flames and toxic fumes, as well as speed up the time it takes to rescue those onboard.

Group Captain Peter Becket said the new station would provide increased protection for planes such as the P-8A Poseidon submarine hunters or the E7 Wedgetails, which are early warning radar aircraft.

Gp Cpt Beckett, who is the base's development programme project director, added: "The new building will provide much enhanced working accommodation for our personnel as well as having the capacity and required services to support our new fleet of vehicles."

The building work is being managed by Henry Brothers Ltd.

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Construction is anticipated to be completed by Autumn next year.

Work is also due to start soon on new accommodation to house 320 service people, as well as to upgrade the base's current gym facilities.

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