VIDEO: Christmas number one spot 'would bring cheer to Sheffield firefighters working over festive period'

The Star is calling on readers to back the city's firefighters and secure Sheffield its first Christmas number one in 35 years.
The Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last LegThe Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last Leg
The Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last Leg

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue (SYFR) teamed up with much-loved Sheffield band the Everly Pregnant Brothers to record a new video to the group's 'Chip Pan' song, which was filmed at Sheffield Central fire station and stars red watch firefighters.

The single was 15th in the race to be Official Christmas Number 1, based on sales in the first 24 hours this week, with The Living Years by London Hospices Choir top as it stood.

The Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last LegThe Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last Leg
The Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last Leg
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The last Sheffield act to top the Christmas charts was Human League back in 1981, with Don't You Want Me, making it about time a city with such a proud musical heritage repeated the feat.

Alex Mills, SYFR communications manager, said: "It's been a bit of a difficult year locally, nationally and globally, and it would be a nice to have something to celebrate at Christmas, but we need the whole city behind us."

Chip Pan, which is a parody version of Kings of Leon's Sex On Fire, is about a man who sets his house alight after a night out drinking.

The video has proved hugely popular and even caught the attention of the makers of Channel 4's Last Leg, who backed it for Christmas number one and invited firefighters and the band to appear on Friday's show.

The Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last LegThe Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last Leg
The Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last Leg
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Proceeds from the single, which has been shared online by celebrities including Michael Vaughan, Lucy Spraggan and Danny Willett, are being split between Age UK Sheffield and the homelessness charity Shelter.

The collaboration has its roots in a Star story about a chip pan fire, which Pete McKee, from the Everly Pregnant Brothers, tweeted about.

"We got in touch with him off the back of that to invite the band down to record a version of Chip Pan for our campaign," said Alex.

"Making the video was a lot of fun but there's a serious message behind it. Our crews attend really serious fires every year involving chip pans, with some even resulting in fatalities.

The Everly Pregnant Brothers on The Last LegThe Everly Pregnant Brothers on The Last Leg
The Everly Pregnant Brothers on The Last Leg
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"We advise people to use oven-baked chips, rather than chip pans, and to buy a take away rather than cooking when drunk.

"Around half the fires we attend start in the kitchen, and this video was a different way of sharing the message of the campaign."

Getting the song to number one would mean a huge amount to the firefighters of Sheffield and emergency crews across the UK who will be working on Christmas Day, added Alex.

"Red watch, who appear in the video, will be on duty on Christmas Day, as will tens of thousands of emergency workers who won't be with their families at this special time," he said.

The Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last LegThe Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last Leg
The Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last Leg
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"Getting this single to number one would help remind people about the amazing job the 999 services do keeping people safe over Christmas and throughout the year. It would mean a lot to them."

Chip Pan is available to download on iTunes, Google Play Music, or Amazon, and can be streamed on Spotify and Deezer.

The Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last LegThe Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last Leg
The Everly Pregnant Brothers and Sheffield firefighters on The Last Leg
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