FEARS are growing that the fire service in Worcestershire could face even harsher cuts due to the public sector spending squeeze.

Members of Hereford & Worcester Fire Authority have appealed for a reprieve after the Government announced £30 billion of fresh public sector spending cuts by 2019.

Chancellor George Osborne made the announcement during the Budget two weeks ago, saying the savings would help claw back the deficit.

Due to reduced funding from central Government the fire service is already due to lose 55 posts by 2020 to help contribute towards around £6 million of savings.

The figures are based on estimates on future Government support, but the actual grants are decided annually.

Ministers of whichever party are being warned that fire services should not be an easy option for the cuts.

Councillor Richard Udall, Labour group leader on the fire authority, said: "The Office of Budget Responsibility have claimed we are in for a rollercoaster of deep cuts in the next parliament, with a much sharper squeeze on spending than anything seen in the past five years.

"The fire service is not protected from such cuts, and if they are to be deeper than expected we are in serious trouble.

We have already cut to the bone; we have nowhere else to go but to cut parts of the service completely.

"If these new cuts happen we may soon be forced to become a volunteer service, a 'Dad’s Army' of retired veterans, crewing the few remaining old fire appliances."

Conservative Councillor Derek Prodger, fire authority chairman, said he was aiming to be prepared for any outcome.

"We need to keep looking for savings and efficiencies to get better value for money, at the end of the day we've had grant reductions for some time," he said.

"While we don't want to see any more, there's not a lot of space available to the Government to make significant savings.

"We've already been able save significant amounts ourselves and we get less call outs, we've got to look for more efficiencies."

The Coalition has already pledged to protect NHS spending if it remains in power and keep school funding in line with inflation, if it remains in Government.