A recruitment drive to hire 300 firefighters across Scotland launched on Thursday.

The Scottish Fire & Rescue Service's latest campaign - Break The Mould - actively encourages people from a wide range of backgrounds to apply.

At present, only 5% of the workforce are women and less than 1% belong to an ethnic minority or identify as LGBT.

Liz Barnes, SFRS director of people and organisational development, said: "We are a service that prides itself on working at the very heart of our communities to keep people safe and it is therefore imperative that we reflect the diversity of those communities.

"We are actively reaching out through our campaign to welcome and support people to take that first step and we are also holding information sessions including some targeted specifically at women.

"But let me be very clear - there are no quotas here and no one has any advantage. You will have to hit the standard for your application to be accepted so I would advise everyone to give it great thought and consideration.

"We are hoping that the more under-represented groups apply, so more will be successful. We want to see a far higher number of all under-represented groups applying to achieve that critical mass to push through to success."

Successful applicants who pass the interview, fitness test and practical assessment will join colleagues on the front line who are not only skilled in rope rescue and water rescue but also CPR and enhanced home fire safety visits for the elderly and the vulnerable.

Ms Barnes added: "This is an exciting time and we are very much looking forward to welcoming the next generation into a service that is seeking to do so more for the people of Scotland."