The fire station in Marlborough is facing its most serious manning crisis since the Second World War.

So critical is the shortage of retained firefighters that the second engine cannot be manned for much of the time, and full-time firemen from Swindon have to be drafted in at times to ensure the first engine can be used.

The shortage is so acute that Marlborough ranks as the most beleaguered station in Wiltshire for manning levels, putting increasing stain on its retained team.

There should be 16 firefighters available but the number stands at only nine, and this can fluctuate daily depending on firefighters' work or family commitments, which can make them unavailable.

Wiltshire Fire Brigade says Marlborough firemen who are called upon to put in more time to cover the shortfall are now feeling the strain, and so are their families.

The station has distributed appeals to every household for people to come forward to train as a retained firefighter, and Station Officer Ernie Warren put up a huge banner in the town's High Street to try to get possible recruits to attend Sunday's open day at the fire station.

The brigade's retained crews recruiting officer, Assistant Divisional Officer Steve Law, fears that if more recruits are not found, pending retirements, or possible illness or injury could put the station under even greater strain.

"It has reached such a serious stage that there are times when the first appliance could be in jeopardy because of the unavailability of a full crew, if full-time firefighters were not brought in," he said.

"We know from two very serious fires in the High Street in recent years that there are many areas of high-risk property in Marlborough, and we need to go in with a large weight of attack within minutes, otherwise a small incident can become a very large one very quickly.

"We need crews in the town, and should not have to rely on the same group of crew members over and over again.

"Existing firefighters are having to put off outings with their family to be around Marlborough and it is a great strain. They are giving up more than most in the county for their town."

ADO Law said about 50 people had attended the open day at the station.

"We had three people take application forms, including a 41-year-old housewife who would like to go through training, but there is no guarantee how many will pass," he said.

There is growing concern, too, that the Marlborough Fire Defence Forum, set up by former mayor Len Bulley after a blaze swept through High Street buildings in June 1998, has not met for nearly a year.

The group, the first of its kind in the country, was set up to encourage more effective fire prevention measures in the High Street.

Mr Bulley said: "I'm disgusted this has been allowed to drop because so much work was put in and surveys carried out. In an old town like Marlborough it is so important to reduce the fire risk."

A spokesman for the town council said the forum would be meeting early next year to look at the results of the fire risk assesment questionnaires sent to the owners of High Street buildings.

"Many of the questionnaires have not been returned and it was felt as much information as possible was needed before the forum met again," said he said.

"Both the mayor and deputy mayor have had several meetings however with the district council to discuss this."