Fireman Sam dropped as mascot for not being inclusive
Fireman Sam has been dropped as a fire service mascot, following claims he is not inclusive enough.
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service said it made the decision after receiving negative feedback about the mascot, from the popular children's TV show.
Now the force's other mascots - fire extinguisher-shaped Freddy, Filbert and Penelope - will be used in place of Fireman Sam.
According to Government statistics, 5.2% of firefighters in England were women in 2017.
Lincolnshire's Chief Fire Officer, Les Britzman, said the mascot was "outdated" and did not help sell the fire safety message.
The decision has been heavily criticised on social media:
However, London Fire Brigade supported the decision and wrote on Twitter:
Earlier this year, the service criticised children's TV show Fireman Sam and Peppa Pig of being sexist for using the term "fireman" instead of "firefighter" during an episode.
Earlier this year, firefighters from West Midlands Fire Service recorded a heart-warming message for a four-year-old girl who thought she couldn't realise her dream of becoming a firefighter because she is a girl.
The issue was discussed on Good Morning Britain:
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