Firefighters battling moorland blaze provided with insect repellent and cooling mists

Motorbikers Cosmetic Company's Beki Coxton and Mark Matthews provide much-needed relief to Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service

Firefighters battling blazing moorland have been provided with much-needed relief in the form of insect repellent and cooling mists, thanks to a local company.

After spotting a request appealing for insect repellent and sunscreen for the fire service, who have been battling blazes on Saddleworth Moor and Winter Hill, Rochdale-based business, Motorbikers Cosmetic Company (MCC), was happy to oblige.

Co-founder Beki Coxton, who runs MCC with Mark Matthews, said: “As soon as we saw it, we immediately wanted to help as we have a member of the family that does a lot of voluntary work for the fire service. We knew that our insect repellent, ‘Midge It’ and our refreshing cooling mist, ‘Cool It!’ would be of great help.”

The duo founded MCC in 2016 after Mark, a research and development scientist of 30 years, was horrified at the number of pharmaceutical medication Beki was taking for fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition.

Beki added: “Mark has an excellent knowledge of all things natural and so he set out to make natural products that would help me battle my symptoms. They worked so well that we couldn’t keep them to ourselves, hence MCC was born.”

Armed with 100 bottles of insect repellent and cooling spray, Mark and Beki descended on Rochdale Fire Station, where they – and the products – were gratefully received.

Beki continued: “We are so very proud of them and grateful of all the work that they do, so it’s been our honour to be able to help them.

“We had a really friendly welcome; we were invited in and offered a cuppa. They told us they really appreciated how the community has been getting behind them with donations of things such as bottled water and sunscreen.

“They explained the treacherous conditions they were working in on the moors and how draining the constant heat is. We appreciated so very much that they took the time out of their busy schedule to spend some time with us. They are really lovely guys.”

Hundreds of firefighters from Lancashire and Greater Manchester have been supported by the military as they continue to deal with the large challenging moorland fires.