Doug and Susan Woollard set off in their black Land Rover on July 19 with four other drivers as part of an adventure trip organised by Rockingham Land Rovers, an independent specialist company. The trip was designed as a social holiday as well as a chance to ‘give something back’.

The pair took £2,000 worth of equipment, including five helmets, six pairs of boots, nine jackets and 20 pairs of trousers to the village of Bosanska Krupa in north-west Bosnia.

Mr Woollard said: “The fire crew there only had a disused Green Goddess and no protective clothing. So when they go to put out fires they just have to dive in and it’s so dangerous.

“When we showed up with the equipment they were so happy. It’s just the basics they needed and now they’ve got them.”

Mr Woollard (59), who designs, builds and supplies pumping systems, got the equipment from a contact in Dorset who buys and sells secondhand firefighting equipment. The couple were given the helmets and boots and bought the rest at a discounted rate.

On the week-long trip the couple drove more than 2,500 miles and camped along the way, all of which they paid for themselves.

Mr Woollard said: “The weather was terrible and it rained most of the time but we enjoyed it and everybody had a good time. The experience was amazing and the people were really friendly.”

The couple, who have three children and two grandchildren, also visited an orphanage and donated clothes.

Mr Woollard said: “We would love to do it again and we’re hoping to do something like this again next year.”