Bonfire night callouts for Welsh firefighters

Fire services across Wales have faced a steady stream of callouts on their busiest night of the year.

South Wales Fire and Rescue recorded in excess of 60 callouts in the two hours between 17:00 and 19:00 GMT on Saturday.

All three Welsh fire services said most calls related to concerns over unsupervised bonfires.

But the South Wales service said it had also had calls about youths throwing fireworks in Rumney, Cardiff.

It has also been dealing with a large refuse fire at Hirwaun, in the Cynon Valley, and advised nearby residents to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke.

The fire service said the blaze was near a vacant building and a water bowser and another fire engine were called to the scene before 19:00.

'Malicious'

Firefighters also criticised hoaxers who sent crews to a house fire call in nearby Aberdare.

"This proved to be a false malicious hoax call and not a house fire, tying up two fire engines on a very busy evening unnecessarily," said the service's Jennie Griffiths.

In a separate incident in Conwy county, four fire crews spent the early evening tackling a major barn fire at a farm at Llanrhos, near Llandudno.

The fire service said it was called to the location at 16:45 where about 60 tonnes of hay were alight.

"About 80% of the structure and roof have been destroyed," said a spokeswoman.