A fire crew from Sussex stars in a national video safety campaign.

Firefighters from Crawley are being used to highlight the emotional shock of finding people who have been trapped and died in a fire.

The Home Office's Make Your Plan Get Out Alive campaign is to persuade people to have a pre-planned fire escape route at work or at home.

The firefighters spent two days making the video at Crawley fire station earlier this year.

The advertisement was being screened on national television from today.

Firefighter Lee Hurry, from Crawley, who has a partner and a child of his own, is shown in the lead part recovering from the shock of finding a child's body in a wardrobe after the youngster desperately tries to shelter from flames and choking smoke.

Lee is shown sitting on his patio with his fictional family, trying to come to terms with what he has seen while his own children continue playing.

Fire chiefs hope the video, which has already been piloted in Yorkshire, will hammer home the safety message.

Leading firefighter Mick Evans said: "What the video is trying to put over is the trauma is causes firefighters when people can't get out from fires and how it affects them personally when they go home.

"I think the video is very good.

"The Home Office decided it wanted to use real firefighters instead of actors. Ten of us from Crawley and one other firefighter took part, although we are not all in the finished article.

"We had to audition for the parts. They sent someone down to look at our acting."

Roger Wood, Senior Community Fire Safety Officer for West Sussex Fire Brigade, said: "The smoke from a fire is very disorientating, especially if it occurs at night.

"In the event of a fire, people are likely to panic and having a pre-planned escape route that can immediately be put into action helps them to remain calm, meaning that they are far more likely to escape safely."

Home Office figures reveal that only 37 per cent of adults said in a survey that they had any escape plan.

The campaign is backed by major companies, including B and Q, Comet, Tesco, Woolworths, Homebase and Focus Do it All.

Information on safety can be obtained on 01243 752466.