Halloween mayhem on the streets

FIREFIGHTER LEFT WITH BURNS AFTER YOBS HURL FIREWORK AS HE TACKLES BONFIRE

GANGS of yobs brought Halloween mayhem to the streets Greater Manchester.

Fireworks were thrown at houses and firefighters and eggs hurled at windows

A fire service watch manager was left with a burn to his skin after a firework was thrown at him as firefighters dealt with a bonfire at Crumpsall Park.

Paul Marston said: “I’m Manchester born and bred and work hard to help protect my community – it’s my job, I’m proud to serve, but I must confess the incident has shaken me.

“As we approached the bonfire I saw a group of youngsters and my intention was to go over and speak to them about fire safety.

“But as soon as we saw fireworks being lit we got a sense of what was about to happen.

“When I was hit, the pain wasn’t the thing I remember most clearly but the impact followed by the horrible smell of burning hair.

“It lodged inside my helmet and, as we were retreating from the scene, I struggled to get it off.

“I’m very grateful to my colleagues on White Watch and all the staff at the hospital for their medical treatment.

“I’ll be honest, in the hours that followed I felt furious.

“But I soon calmed down and have actually stayed on shift all night – it’s my responsibility to be at work, protecting my local community.

“But the next time I’m called to an incident like a bonfire or other small fire in a public space I expect last night will be on my mind.”

Chief fire officer, Jim Wallace, said it was ‘the last thing’ the service needed at such a busy time of the year.

A number of residents also expressed their shock at group of youths taking ‘full buckets’ of sweets from outside their houses.

In Radcliffe, one resident said: “Three lads were banging on my door.

“I assumed they were children but they were teenagers.

“I had a bucket outside for the trick or treaters and they have stolen the bucket and run.”

A resident in Hazelhurst, Bury, said a ‘couple of kids’ cleared out the whole bowls of sweets that she had left outside her house, before any of children had the chance to have some.”