Firefighter warning ahead of Bonfire weekend

Firefighters have warned people against setting off their own fireworks

Fire services have called on people not to set off fireworks themselves and not abuse firefighters, ahead of their busiest period of the year.

Shaun Kelly of Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said Bonfire Night weekend was "substantially" busier for the team than other times.

"We'll have fire appliances all over Tyne and Wear and those appliances will be in and out all night," he said.

Meanwhile County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service's chief fire officer Steve Helps urged people to not abuse firefighters this weekend.

Mr Kelly said members of the public should go to organised fireworks rather than attempt DIY set-ups.

"[Organised] displays are going to be very safe as they will have been risk assessed and the quality of the fireworks is going to be much better," he said.

The service typically has a "massive surge" in callouts during to Bonfire Night and Diwali celebrations.

Crews are also called to far more deliberate fires than usual, he said.

This can range from people attempting their own bonfires to those who steal wheelie bins and set its contents on fire.

Mr Helps called on the public to not be "one of the minority" than ruins Bonfire Night for the majority ahead of Bonfire Night.

Since April there have been seven instances of his team's firefighters being attacked with fireworks, rocks and bottles when called out, he said, often by young people.

"No-one goes to work to be assaulted," he said.

"I strongly recommend people sit down with their children and remind them their actions have consequences."