A mob of youths attacked firefighters with bricks after they prevented a children's playground going up in smoke.

The Bradford crews were ambushed by the gang of up to 30 teenagers after a pile of timber was set ablaze in the playground in Amberley Street, Bradford Moor, on Saturday night Bradford fire station watch manager Harvey Stewart said: "We were talking to them about the new fire station which is being built near there.

"Then they said they were going to build another fire and put gas cylinders inside.

"As we pulled away a barrage of bricks was thrown at the engine's windows. Fortunately the windows were up but we later found a lump of concrete on top of the engine.

"It's an ongoing problem - that's why we send two pumps into a lot of areas - one to put the fire out and one to guard the crews.

"While these people are holding us up there could be a more serious fire which could involve a member of their family."

Firefighters at Fairweather Green station were also threatened with violence on their way to a wasteland bonfire behind Marmion Avenue, Fairweather Green, where youths had taken down parts of fencing in the area and thrown wheelie bins on the fire.

A fire station spokesman said: "They were out of control. They had ripped down people's fences to their houses and taken wheelie bins.

"We were threatened with verbal abuse and aggressive behaviour from one lad. We threatened him with the police and he ran off."

Police were informed of all incidents and remained on stand-by throughout the busy weekend to escort the crews if they needed to return to the same area.

Firefighters across the district were inundated with calls throughout the weekend as people celebrated Bonfire Night.

Mischief Night' - the night before Bonfire Night - lived up to its name with crews from Bradford fire station alone answering 25 calls between 6pm on Saturday and 8am yesterday - more than double their usual workload.

Callers also besieged West Yorkshire Fire Service at the height of bonfire celebrations.

Operators fielded more than a call a minute between 6pm and 8.30pm on Saturday with a total of 183 calls. They received 437 calls on the Saturday night shift with 338 between 6pm and midnight.

Fire crews across West Yorkshire attended 140 small fires including bonfires, 11 house fires and eight building fires and came under attack from youths throwing stones on three call-outs.

Plumes of smoke forced the closure of Lumb Lane, Manningham, early yesterday after vandals set alight a pile of rubbish which had been built on Infirmary Fields in preparation for a bonfire later in the day.

A Fairweather Green fire station spokesman described the Saturday night shift as "non stop".

Exhausted firefighters were still answering calls after a hectic night yesterday morning.

Shipley crews were called to a fire at Hirst Wood Nursery School at 7.15am after someone set fire to a pile of rubbish next to a cellar door of the school in Carlton Avenue, Saltaire, damaging the door frame.

And Brighouse crews had to put out a blaze at Scholes Cricket Club, Scholes Lane, at 6.40am after a bonfire which had been built for later in the day was set ablaze.

e-mail: fiona.evans@bradford.newsquest.co.uk