The fight to save a crew of firefighters and a turntable ladder has finally ended as an aerial ladder appliance has been removed for good.

It marked the end of an emotional debate in which councillors, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and leading members of the community accused those responsible for running East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service of playing with people's lives.

For more than six months the debate raged as to whether Brighton and Hove could survive with just one aerial ladder that can reach heights of more than 100ft.

The city has had two aerial ladders based at Hove and Preston Circus fire stations for the past 30 years.

As part of cuts in East Sussex's fire budget it was decided to axe the older aerial ladder based at Preston Circus, Brighton, and transfer the newer appliance from Hove to Preston Circus.

No decision has been made as to what will happen to the older appliance but it could end up being used to fight fires in a Third World country.

The axing of an aerial appliance, along with a cut in 12 front-line firefighting jobs, will save East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service £300,000 a year.

The changeover was to have come into effect from April 1. But, for operational reasons, the turntable ladder remained at Hove for an extra six weeks.

The last major job for the Brighton 100ft ladder was last month's fire at Tideway School, Newhaven.

Firefighters are still angry at the cuts, which they claim could put people's lives at risk.

It leaves East Sussex with three aerial appliances - based at Hastings, Preston Circus and Eastbourne.

Firefighters point out that if there was a big fire in Brighton, Hastings or in the middle of the county that required more than two aerial appliances, it could take 40 minutes for one to get there.

Steve Huggins, East Sussex chairman of FBU, said: "It is a sad day for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. We put forward a good case for keeping the aerial ladder at Hove but the powers that be decided otherwise. We will just have to keep our fingers crossed the absence of an aerial ladder at a major fire will not result in any loss of lives or greater fire damage.

"We have got to accept the situation and we will be monitoring the situation very closely. We shall continue to campaign for its return".

Steve Petch, an FBU representative and Brighton firefighter, said: "It is a sad day when councillors and those in charge of the rescue service put saving money ahead of saving people's lives"

The fire and rescue service insists the loss of an aerial appliance in Brighton and Hove will not imperil lives.

Billy-Jo Maynard, media and communications officer for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said: "We have carried risk management assessments and can categorically say there will be no deterioration in service.

"The appliance at Preston Circus was coming to the end of its service life and would have had to be replaced.

"It is going back to the company which maintains the appliance and a decision as to what happens to it will be made by them.

"It could be auctioned off, sold, donated to a museum or possibly given to a Third World country. Now the appliance has left Preston Circus, there is no chance of it coming back.

"Nobody has lost their jobs as the result of the appliance going. Four firefighters are being transferred to community safety roles and the rest will be spread out across East Sussex."