THE head of Guernsey’s junior rugby has criticised the Public Services Department for not sorting out the airport fire fighters’ dispute that led to young local sports people not being able to fly to the UK at the weekend.

Dash 8 Flybe flights from Guernsey Airport were cancelled on Sunday due to a shortage of fire fighters and the well-publicised staffing and pay dispute between the fire fighters and the States has now been ongoing for more than six months

A group of junior Guernsey rugby players were affected by Sunday’s action and Geoff Renouf (pictured), the director of the Guernsey Rugby Academy, was incensed to hear about it yesterday.

He pointed a finger of blame squarely at Bernard Flouquet, the minister at the Public Services Department, which is responsible for the airport.

‘My blood boils – this has been going on for months,’ he said. ‘You’re telling me that they didn’t know about this? It’s time something is exposed.’