Firefighters came under attack from yobs in four areas of West Yorkshire.
Crews in Huddersfield, Halifax, Bradford and Leeds were attacked by people hurling fireworks and other items at them during Bonfire weekend.
In Huddersfield fireworks were thrown from a crowd of 100 as fire crews attended a blaze in Thornton Lodge.
In Halifax a group of 50 people threw fireworks at a fire engine.
There were nine attacks in Bradford, with engines and fire cars attacked with fireworks, bricks and a wheelie bin.
In Leeds there were three attacks, with bricks thrown and crews attacked with fireworks.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday there were 2,590 calls to West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service control room – 1,147 of the calls were made on Bonfire Night. On Saturday night a car in which Bradford South MP Judith Cummins was travelling in came under attack.
She witnessed a group of up to 30 people throw fireworks at crews.
The MP, along with Almondbury’s Clr Judith Hughes and Halifax MP Holly Lynch, had spent the evening with firefighters to see for themselves what they have to go through.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Dave Walton said: “It is only through good fortune that we have not had a firefighter injured by this incredibly foolish behaviour.
“Our firefighters did not join the job for this.”
Clr Judith Hughes, Almondbury Labour councillor and chair of the West Yorkshire Fire Authority, said: “I was in a ‘fire car’ so there was me, two police officers and a firefighter.
“I didn’t witness attacks but Judith Cummins and Holly Lynch did. Here in Kirklees we get the odd attack, but one is one too many.
“I just don’t get the mindset of someone who can attack firefighters who are going out to help our communities.
“We are doing a lot of youth work in our communities to challenge this.”
Ms Lynch has been behind a ‘Protect The Protectors’ bill in Parliament that will create a new offence of assaulting an emergency service worker.
Clr Hughes added: “Holly and Judith are very supportive of us anyway, and I’m sure their experiences this weekend will add to their campaign.”
The Bradford MP said her experience had highlighted the “challenges the fire service face when they face threats to their safety to protect the public.”
