FORMER St Laurence School pupil Hannah Dunn says she has found her ideal job – as the first British woman to be accepted into the United States Fire Department.

Miss Dunn, who was born in Trowbridge, decided to pursue a career as a firefighter after moving to Florida three years ago, where she initially got a job as a lifeguard at Daytona Beach.

While working at the beach she met some firefighters who suggested she think about applying, and after moving to Maryland she did so – along with 4,000 other applicants.

The 27-year-old, who studied at the University of South-ampton, endured a year-long application process, before completing the six month academy programme and graduating in July.

Miss Dunn said: “I’ve never really known what I wanted to do and couldn’t find anything I would call my ideal job.

“When I moved to Maryland a friend sent me to the fire house to ride the trucks for the day and at this point I was like ‘yes I have to do this’.

“The six month academy was the most physically demanding and most amount of studying I have ever had to do in my life and there were times I questioned whether my body could get through the next day.

“But graduating and being sent to my station was the best day of my life and every day I go to work thankful that I have found what I want to do with my life.”

Miss Dunn is now working for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, which is based just outside Washington DC, and is on a six month probation period.

Mum Rebecca Curtis, who lives in Westbury, said: “I went out there for the graduation ceremony. She's very determined and I am so proud of her.”