FIREFIGHTERS cancelled strike action planned for Christmas Eve to attend a string of emergency callouts triggered by festive storms.

A family of six had to be taken to hospital on Christmas Day suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning after they were overcome by the petrol fumes of the generator they were using as emergency backup after a power cut.

The South East was worst hit by the power failures, with tens of thousands of homes left without power because of the storms, which caused huge travel disruption and flooding in the run-up to Christmas.

For full story, see this week's Haslemere Herald.