WILTSHIRE businesses are being warned to be on their guard against buying advertising space claiming to be supported by the Wiltshire Fire Brigade.

Assistant divisional officer Andrew Hargreaves said: "There are a number of unscrupulous and very aggressive sales persons trying to pressurise local businesses to subscribe to advertising in calendars, diaries, journals and magazines which they claim are supported by Wiltshire Fire Brigade and it is just not the case."

He urges anyone who has doubts about the validity of claims of fire brigade approval for advertising space not to sign anything. Instead they should contact him to check whether the claim is true.

Mr Hargreaves can be contacted at the brigade headquarters on (01380) 7321108.