Firefighters take on Ashton Gate steps in memory of those killed in 9/11 terror attacks

  • Watch the full report by Max Walsh

Firefighters in the West Country have paid their own special tribute to those killed in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York.

It was exactly 20 years ago when hundreds of American firefighters walked up the stairs of the World Trade Centre towers after they had been targeted by two planes on the morning of September 11, 2001.

Nearly 3000 people died that day, with 343 of them being firefighters who had responded to one of the worst calls in modern history.

Two decades on, firefighters in Bristol held a two minutes silence to remember those impacted before taking on their own physical challenge.

Starting at Ashton gate this team from Avon Fire and Rescue Service went to climb the equivalent height of the World Trade Centre buildings, in full kit. Their aim was to complete it within 102 minutes for charity.

Speaking at the charity climb one of the team, Rich Wheeler, said that he had actually chosen to become a firefighter because of the actions of those emergency workers on that day.

"Seeing the brave actions of those people on that day changed me," he said.

"The selflessness and the courage and the fact they were willing to go in to those buildings knowing they weren't going to be coming out hit a trigger with me."

To climb the height of the towers the crew had to go up the stairs at Bristol City's stadium 28 times.

Firefighters completed the charity challenge on Saturday. Credit: ITV.

The 102 minutes they had to complete the challenge marks the time it took between terror attacks in the US on that day.

Another crew member, Kristina Foster-Pullen said: "Absolutely exhausted and very hot but it was amazing.

"Thinking of those we lost on that day it stayed with me throughout. I have a good friend who is a survivor of the 9/11 attacks and I kept them in my thoughts the whole time."

Crews involved have raised a large amount of money from this challenge for The Firefighters Charity as well as commemorating those who lost their lives in a very different way.