Attacks on Britain's firefighters are at an all-time high and the Fire Brigades Union says is only a matter of time before a firefighter is killed.

CCTV images shown to Sky News reveal the violence fire crews face on a daily basis.

The FBU says some attacks are by children as young as six and, in some cases, gas cylinders are deliberately left in blazing buildings.
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The union quotes Government figures showing, in a 10-month period, 393 attacks on firefighters in England and Wales, while there were 338 in Scotland over a 12-month period.

But only one-third of brigades submitted details and the FBU estimates the true figure for the UK could be as high as 120 attacks a week.

Sky News' north of England correspondent Michelle May has been out with firefighters in Greater Manchester.

The chief fire officer Barry Dixon told her he blames a diet of violent videos and games.

"I don't think they understand the consequences of what they see," he said.

"When they try and emulate that, they do not see the ongoing consequences - that people could be killed."

Project Firefly has been set up in Oldham to bring teenagers into stations and see the dangerous job at first hand.

It costs £400 per child but, since Firefly began, attacks in the area have dropped by 55%.

What firefighters in England and Wales are also calling for is the same legal protection as in Scotland, where it is a specific offence to attack an emergency worker.

I think suspended sentances are in order.......................



















Preferably from the highest tree.

I spent halloween escorting the local fire brigade to stop it being attacked its disgrace full. I can sort of cope with us being attacked but traditionally fire brigade and ambo are neutral services and there fore shouldnt be attacked

8 out of 10 fires we attended on Bonfire night had cylinders reported to have been thrown on the fire!!. This was mainly aerosol cans but one fire had a barrel of oil and a propane gas cylinder on it!!!

We actually left a few others burning as it was obvious we would come under some kind of attack if we had extinguished it!! Verbal definatley......physical, who knows!!!

Should get water cannons on the roof like american appliances good for crowd control and you can put out the fire from a distance also

This is the sad part......if a firefighter retalliates by punching back or even turning the hose on them........yeah you guessed it, its the sack!!!!!

Thats why we had to escort them around so that we could wack them with the baton Was also a good laugh cruising around with a fb radio in my hand and my rff mate in the patrol jeep in the back for a chat lol He looked strange jumping out of a police car in full fire gear

The crews at Tyne & Wear which is our neighbouring county had Police escorts to every shout!

We were told to request them if required unless it was a known trouble spot in which case they were told to wait for Police assistance!! Our crew didnt need to but a few other aplliances could be heard shouting for help whils making a hasty retreat!!

ITS NOT BIG AND ITS NOT CLEVER CHILDREN!!!! AND THE MASKS DONT SCARE US!!!!!

I had a good laugh though. It was shame it had to be done but good fun. We saw the kids preparing rocks and fireworks as we got close but then they say the jeep said GARDA on it they were dropped quickly

Did you have much trouble with yobs and the DFB or was your presence enough to keep the place in order?!

Very little trouble we acted as a good deterrent few fireworks lobbed at the back of the motor that was it really

The likes of the FF and Ambo have no chance when they will throw things at Police cars!! (sorry JEEP !!)

Oh sorry to update you on ling motor = fire appliance (goes back to the days of 1 horse drawn 1 mtorised pump in each station hence motor)

I think we should escort them on double time

Only your bosses would have aproblem with that !! Certainly not FF's!!

We could also then be an opposing team for their volleyball matches