Russian firefighters battling to save lives with obsolete equipment have been thrown a lifeline by their West Sussex counterparts.

A sea container filled with modern kit is being sent to Kursk, a city of 434,000 people about 500 miles south of Moscow, where firefighters are working with outdated gear dating back to the communist era.

As the container is shipped out, a four-strong team of serving and ex-West Sussex firefighters will be accompanying four Dennis fire engines over land across the former Soviet Union.

The expedition was proposed by Chris Holgate, 62, of Blenheim Avenue, Worthing, who served with West Sussex fire brigade between 1961 and 1988.

He enlisted the support of fellow former firefighter Alan Dixon and serving officers Tim Eady and Sean Bradley.

Mr Holgate decided to help Kursk after a teacher from the region visited Worthing in 2000, which led to an exchange trip a year later. While in Russia, he witnessed the problems firefighters faced.

The shipment includes nearly 1,000 pairs of fire boots, 450 firefighting suits, 150 gas and chemical protection suits and resuscitators, radiation meters, helmets and vehicle spares.

The four Dennis engines, although a decade old, have been properly maintained and are far superior to the Russian vehicles. They are equipped with ladders, portable pumps, generators, hoses and resuscitation gear.