BEING swept off your feet by a hunky firefighter is most women's idea of heaven.

But for York teacher Monica Good it had side-splitting consequences!

Pupils from Dringhouses Primary School, in St Helen's Road, watched as she was given a fireman's lift by a firefighter during a York crew's safety demonstration in the playground.

But unlucky Monica was paying too much attention to his rippling muscles and cracked two ribs in the process. "I asked if they still gave fireman's lifts - I like a man in uniform!" said Monica, a reception teacher at the school for 17 years.

"One of the crew picked me up to show the pupils how it was done. I must have tensed my body at the wrong time but my ribs were in agony. It wasn't his fault."

Monica's doctor friend later revealed she had cracked at least two ribs, which will take up to six weeks to heal.

"The fireman has no idea about my injury - I didn't want to upset him," Monica added.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the lift is predominantly used when a patient is unconscious. The fact they're unconscious also means they are relaxed," he said. "We wish her a speedy recovery."

Updated: 11:04 Saturday, April 05, 2003