Up Helly Aa beards close Shetland island of Bressay fire station

Up Helly Aa is a spectacular annual event for Shetland

The Shetland island of Bressay has been left without local firefighter cover - due to beards being grown for the Up Helly Aa fire festival.

Two members of the retained crew have grown facial hair for the famous event in March.

It means they are not able to wear breathing apparatus and the station has been stood down.

Shetland's Community Safety Partnership is trying to broker a deal to get one to shave off his beard.

This would see the station operational again.

Up Helly Aa is a spectacular event that celebrates Shetland's Viking heritage and culminates with the dramatic burning of a replica Viking galley.

It features a band of latter-day Viking warriors known as the Jarl Squad.

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