YORK city centre revellers were treated to the sight of a Green Goddess rushing to the scene of a suspected fire.

The vehicle, despatched from Imphal Barracks, was called to Superdrug in Market Street last night after staff smelled smoke.

Arriving under police escort, RAF crewmen entered the building wearing masks to investigate, only to confirm a minor problem with an electrical appliance.

Store manager Vanessa Townsend, who had been stocking shelves with seven other members of staff at the time, said she had had no reservations about dialling 999.

"I didn't even think about the strike, I just called them," she said.

"I had my staff and £1 million-worth of stock to think about."

Overall it was a quiet night for North Yorkshire, with only ten call-outs and no hoax calls. East Yorkshire reported 15 call-outs and one hoax call.

Incidents included a cooker fire in Northallerton, a small fire at the Crown Hotel in Harrogate put out by staff, a minor collision on the A1 at junction 49, and a skip fire off St Benedict Road in York. The RAF emergency fire crews have been praised by the victim of the first call-out in York.

Emma Trick's burst into flames minutes after starting yesterday afternoon.

Emma, of Tennent Road, Acomb, said: "Although these ancient vehicles (Green Goddesses) have not seen much action for some time, the men on board however were far more able and set about their task with great competency," she said. Meanwhile, York firefighters continued to man their picket line, which is now being moved to the back of the station every night after their blazing oil drums attracted scores of homeless during the previous 48-hour strike.

Firefighters received abuse from some of them after they were asked to leave the station.

"We had quite a number of homeless people gathering around the braziers to keep warm," said leading firefighter Jeff Morrow.

"It was fine until we asked them to leave.

"A number were drunk so they were a little abusive."

There has been no trouble from passing clubbers, he said.

When asked if firefighters would cross the line as in the last strike, he said: "Yes, we most likely would."

Updated: 11:23 Saturday, November 23, 2002