Cotton’s comments come after a recent YouGov survey commissioned by the mayor of London, found that a quarter of women think men are better equipped to be firefighters.

In comparison, just 7% of women thought the same of police officers when asked: “Do you think men are more able to do the job, women are more able to do the job, or they are both equally able?”

Writing for the Guardian to highlight the brigade’s #FireFightingSexism campaign, deputy assistant commissioner Keeley Foster detailed her decision to leave the creative industries at the age of 31 for the fire service. In doing so, she has also witnessed the lack of women entering the profession.

“Reaching out to under-represented groups is key to spreading the message that this is a career for everyone and bringing in the next generation of firefighters,” Keeley wrote. “When I visit schools I find it sad that so many young girls see it as a job for men. I see myself as a role model who can encourage all women that nothing is out of their reach.”

She continued: “Nearly 80 years on, female firefighters are still comparatively rare and their achievements mainly overlooked by the media, which still talk about firemen rather than firefighters – something the London brigade changed 30 years ago.”

This Love Island cliché is having an unexpected impact on our careers