FIREFIGHTERS in Bradford were attacked a total of 11 times over the Bonfire Night weekend, including an attack on a fire car containing Bradford South MP Judith Cummins.

Nine of the attacks occurred on Sunday, Bonfire Night itself, with two – including the attack on the car carrying Ms Cummins – taking place on Saturday.

Bradford accounted for more than half of 18 attacks on fire crews across West Yorkshire over the weekend.

On Sunday, the attacks involved bricks and fireworks being thrown at fire cars and crews, and a wheeled bin being thrown at a fire engine.

On Saturday, the fire car in which Ms Cummins was travelling attended an incident involving a group of up to 30 people, when someone launched a firework at them. A firefighter was also attacked at a separate callout.

She said: “It was a very interesting night, and I have seen the challenges the fire and police service face in terms of trying to help the community while at the same time facing direct threats to their safety while just trying to do their job.

“We were called to a bonfire and there were young people gathered. They threw a firework on the fire then fired a rocket out of a tube at us. It was quite scary.

“Firefighters are trying to keep the community safe and are there to protect the public.

“Let them go about their duties calmly and safely, attacking them does not let them get on with their job, and it could be your house on fire.”

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Dave Walton said the service was hoping for a change in legislation to protect its firefighters.

He said: “It is only through good fortune that we have not had a firefighter injured by this incredibly foolish behaviour.

“We hope that by raising public awareness of these attacks we will see a public stance against attacks on firefighters and a change in legislation which will help safeguard our crews in the future.

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“We very much appreciate the backing of our local MPs who have seen first-hand what we face and are appalled by it, as we expect the vast majority of people are. Our firefighters did not join the job for this.”

The service attended 168 bonfires across West Yorkshire over the weekend and more than 600 incidents in total, with the control room receiving more than 2,500 calls, with 1,147 on Sunday alone.

Councillor Judith Hughes, chairman of the West Yorkshire Fire Authority, and Halifax MP Holly Lynch also joined firefighters on Saturday.