The fire service was alerted to hundreds of calls over the Bonfire Weekend, with crews facing out-of-control bonfires, car blazes, and even attacks from the public as they tackled raging infernos.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) were alerted 371 times to emergencies on November 5 alone, 170 of which were “potentially dangerous bonfires” - while unbelievable images show one instance of a large off road vehicle engulfed in flames.
And now TWFRS area manager Richie Rickaby has come out to defend the fearless work of his firefighters, who were attacked a total of seven times over the busy firework period, from November 1-6.
