Anyone familiar with the programme `Jeux Sans Frontieres' immediately conjures up mental pictures of young Europeans, colourfully costumed, using seemingly misplaced skills and having an utter disregard for dignity, in ridiculous situations thought up by some neurotic Continental. However, when we two `athletes' of the H.O. fire department were selected for the team representing Britain in Switzerland, we were to discover that dignity had no place in this competition, being completely forgotten and overruled by a fierce patriotic pride.

We, and the eighteen other fortunate Kendalians, who were to be let loose on the Continent, had reached this happy position after we had achieved success in a local heat of the British `It's a Knock-out' competition at nearby Barrow-in-Furness. This victory qualified the team to enter the highly competitive and indeed prestigious (certainly for the Europeans) international field of Jcux Sans Frontieres'. And so, one cold and decidedly wet Sunday morning twenty by no means camera-shy `athletes' (I use the word advisedly), fresh from our new found fame, set off for Manchester Airport amidst the cheers of our somewhat depleted crowd of supporters, predictably so, it being an unearthly 5.3o a.m.

Feeling rather conspicuous in our red, white and blue outfits (although rather enjoying all the unexpected attention), we departed on a Swiss Air jet; all the team not having flown before, several weak stomachs were left behind on the runway at take off.
After a short stop at Rotterdam, we descended to Zurich in a blaze of sunshine. From Zurich we travelled by coach on the `wrong' side of the road to Solothurn where the games were to be staged.

It soon became apparent that the B.B.C. had spared no expense, as our bi-lingual hostess - Christine - made us welcome in the best hotel of the town. After continental refreshments which do the same for one abroad as in this country, everyone set off to explore the town. We joined a small party which cooled off in the local swimming pool, a pleasure we had to earn; the language and gesticulations necessary to be understood, left everyone visibly weakened.