Last updated at 13:40, Friday, 06 November 2009

Firefighters had to call in police after they were attacked by a mob of 40 teenage yobs on a night of fireworks mayhem in Carlisle.

The crews were called to Meadow View, near Harraby Community Centre, twice – at 6.30pm and 8.30pm yesterday – after an unorganised bonfire got out of control.

About 40 youths attacked and stole equipment from firefighters as they tried to do their jobs.

Crew manager Stuart Hook, said: “At Meadow View the youths were unhappy because we were trying to get their unorganised bonfire under control.

"Some of them had been drinking and they started trying to take our gear and hose reels. They were throwing things at us and preventing us from doing our jobs.

“They made life very difficult for us and we had to call in the police to assist. We have a duty of care to the public and it is our responsibility to make sure everyone is safe. It was one of the busiest nights of the year. We went to 19 different fires last night.”

Police said they were called to Meadow View just after 7pm.

A police spokesman said: “We were called to attend after a call from the Fire Service. Our officers spoke to the youths and their equipment and items were returned. There were no arrests.”

Kids also posted fireworks through letter boxes of houses at Stonegarth in Morton, Monks Close Road, off Wigton Road and South Street, off London Road.

Nobody was hurt but there was smoke in the houses and burns to the doorway and hallway.

In another incident at 9pm, fire crews from Carlisle and Brampton rescued six Yorkshire terriers from a house on Vasey Crescent, off Greystone Road.

Mr Hook said: “The fire alarms went off in this house and we were alerted. We got the six Yorkshire terrier dogs out.Some logs which had been stacked next to a log burner were smouldering and the house had filled with smoke.”

There was no fire damage to the house.

Across the county this week, firefighters were called to 66 small fires, 27 of which were bonfire related, compared to 106 small fires and 84 bonfire-related in 2008. An 18-year-old man in Brydekirk, near Annan, was taken to hospital suffering from 18 per cent burns to his upper body, face and neck at the village bonfire.

First published at 13:39, Friday, 06 November 2009
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk