Success for firework safety drive

Fire chiefs said a campaign to crack down on firework-related hooliganism was a success.

Northumberland Fire and Rescue service sent out street teams, visited schools and removed rubbish which could be set alight in the run-up to Bonfire night.

It said calls to bonfire incidents fell from 139 in 2004 to 104 and it received 58 calls on 5 November compared with 134 last year.

But attacks on firefighters rose in that period, with nine incidents.

CCTV cameras

There were three incidents where fireworks were pushed through letterboxes compared with two in 2004 and six in 2003.

Chief fire officer Brian Hesler said: "We have achieved one of the safest bonfire nights in recent times.

"This has been the result of raising awareness in the community and promoting a commons sense approach to bonfire and fireworks by the public.

"Our street teams were out and about in areas where there have been problems chatting to teenagers and young people."

Fire engines have been fitted with CCTV cameras to catch yobs who attack crews with bricks and bottles.