By day Tim Eady carries out painstaking investigations into the causes of fires. By night he causes a few sparks of his own - setting dancefloors alight.

The hip-swivelling station officer is now preparing to strut his stuff at the Royal Albert Hall in London in front of an audience of thousands.

He will be getting down with the Brighton La Roc dance troupe in aid of the Fire Services National Benevolent Fund.

And Tim says he can't wait to get out there and show them the hosereel two-step.

He said: "I'm nervous but I've got a great partner and she's the real hot action. I'm just a cog in the wheel."

Ten pairs will dance the two-and-a-half minute routine - which includes lifts, swoops and other muscle-wrenching moves - to a live version of the hit Do You Want Me?, which featured in the hit movie Dirty Dancing.

Tim, 41, of Pembroke Avenue, Worthing, will swap his helmet and boots for a spangly blue shirt and figure-hugging black slacks.

He said: "I've been doing it for about ten years and this will be the biggest audience I have ever performed for."

Tim has been a firefighter for 21 years and is now based in Crawley, where his role is to work out what starts suspicious or fatal blazes.

He said: "It can be a stressful job but the dancing is a fantastic way of taking your mind off it for a few hours."

The Benevolent Fund is celebrating 60 years of raising money for firemen's families with the Spirit Of Fire show at the Albert Hall on Sunday June 29.

The Brighton group will also take their routine to the streets when they perform in Hyde Park.

Tim said: "I know I'm going to get a right ribbing for this from the other guys at the station but I just love dancing."