FIREFIGHTER Sabrina Cohen is determined to put an end to attacks on her colleagues - and she's going to travel the world to do it.

Sabrina, 20, of Risca, is waging a war against violent people - many who are teenagers - threatening the safety - even the lives - of the South Wales Fire Service.

Now, the New Inn-based firewoman will go on a fact finding mission to South Africa and North America in a bid to achieve her goal.

She beat nearly 1,000 competitors to the award when she applied to the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust last year.

After a series of interviews she was presented with the travelling fellowship and £7,000 to do a comparative study of attacks on firefighters around the world.

"Because of the nature of our job we've just shrugged these incidents off in the past, but we should not have to put up with it," she said.

The brigade faces violence every day.

"One guy had a brick thrown at his helmet and it actually split. He had to take time off," she said.

Sabrina will fly out to one of the world's worst affected areas, Johan-nesburg, later this year.

From there it's Chicago, San Francisco and New York to see how crews there combat attacks.

Sabrina, who signed up aged 18, said: "In New York, fire fighters are treated like gods, especially since September 11.

"New York is a really interesting one because they have zero tolerance towards attacks."

Since signing up at 18, Sab-rina has been determined to end the attacks. She paid for a similar research trip to war-torn Israel out of her own pocket.

"In certain areas, like the West Bank, the fire service uses armoured appliances," she said.

In Gwent, even on the most straightforward calls firefighters must be on their guard.

Sabrina said: "We have to treat every car fire like an unexploded bomb. People leave gas cylinders as a booby-trap."

Sabrina says that Maindee has the worst reputation for attacks on firefighters in Newport.

"It's youngsters in socially deprived areas," she said.

The escalating violence has done little to dampen Sabrina's passion for her job.

"I love it, it's a challenge," she said. "People said I wouldn't be able to do it but I've proved them wrong."

Sabrina plans to jet off at the end of the year.