FIRE cover across much of the Westcountry could be at risk from new EU working laws, it was warned last night.

Plans to scrap Britain's opt-out from the controversial European Working Time Directive could force many retained or part-time firefighters to scale back or even abandon the time they are available to the fire service.

The Liberal Democrats fear this could lead to "dangerous" levels of shortages.

It is claimed that fire cover here would be hardest hit, with most other European countries unaffected because their part-time firefighters are voluntary and therefore not covered by the directive.

There are 403 retained firefighters in Cornwall and a further 1,131 covering Devon and Somerset.

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There are also 50 more posts which remain unfilled, a situation which could be worsened by the new EU laws.

Around one in 10 retained firefighters already work 49 hours or more for their primary employer and another one in four work between 41 and 48 hours – the limit for total working hours under the directive.

Large parts of the Westcountry rely on retained crews for much of their emergency protection.

For example, Camborne and Falmouth are the only towns in Cornwall with 24-hour fire station cover.

The rest of the county is covered by a combination of day-time station cover and retained firefighters who are on-call at home.

Julia Goldsworthy, Liberal Democrat communities spokesman, said it was vital Britain remained outside the rules: "People mustn't be penalised for choosing to stick to working time hours, but neither should people who want to help in their communities.

"Retained firefighters are a crucial part of the UK's emergency services.

"The fact the rules wouldn't affect voluntary firefighters elsewhere in the EU is simply unfair."

The Falmouth and Camborne MP said her party was "campaigning hard to keep the opt-out for retained firefighters and ensuring the emergency services are able to provide a flexible and high-quality service across the UK".

In a recent Commons debate on the subject, Lib-Dem MP Alistair Carmichael said: "The silly thing is that if a retained fireman who was an agricultural employee and worked for the fire service was called out to a major fire – if he were to heed the call, don his kit and safety gear at the station and work under the auspices of the trained leadership that he enjoyed – he would be subject to a limit on the number of hours he could work.

"However, if he went straight to the fire without obeying a call to go to the station, remained in civilian clothes and did not use any of the fire service's equipment, but was one of the many civilian volunteers who always turn out, he could work as long as he liked.

"That is completely back to front – it is the wrong way to do it."

The Government insists it is working to preserve the opt-out.

Employment minister Pat McFadden said the Government aimed to "secure the future of the opt-out".