Firefighters pelted during ‘disgusting’ Halloween attacks

FIREFIGHTERS IN West Yorkshire were pelted with stones and fireworks during six attacks on Halloween.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service deputy chief fire officer Dave Walton, inset, has branded the attacks “disgusting” and is urging communities to spread the message that the incidents must stop.

More than 600 calls were made to the fire service incident room on Halloween and crews attended 125 incidents.

Fire crews came under attack on Halloween night when they attended calls in the Harehills and Hyde Park areas of Leeds, the Park Ward area of Halifax and the Undercliffe Cemetery area of Bradford.

Mr Walton said: “Whilst our firefighters were trying to carry out a job and protect the community, they also came under attack, which in our eyes is disgusting.

“The fact that it was Halloween does not excuse dangerous be- haviour which could ultimately result in serious injury. “We are now in the run-up to Bonfire Night and we urge communities to spread our message that this must stop now.” District commander for Leeds, Russ Hepton, added: “These senseless attacks will inevitably lead to a member of the fire service being seriously injured whilst simply endeavouring to save life and protect their local communities.” Last week, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service launched a campaign called More Than A Uniform, which condemns attacks on firefighters. The campaign was launched after new figures revealed shocking levels of abuse suffered by the region’s frontline emergency services. At least 300 cases of verbal and physical abuse – including live fireworks being launched and staff being bitten by dogs on call-outs – have been recorded by Yorkshire’s fire services over the last three years.