Fire crew targeted by youths

Drunken yobs pelted a fire engine with stones after a crew tackled a rubbish blaze in Pensnett.

A group of up to 20 teenagers hurled missiles at firefighters at Fens Pool nature reserve last night.

No one was hurt during the attack but some of the stones hit the engine as the crew left to return to Dudley fire station at around 8pm.

Watch commander Russell Gordon said it was not the first time officers had come under fire from yobs and said it tended to be a more common problem during school holidays.

He added: "There was a group of 17 to 20 youths standing around us as we were putting the fire out. They had been drinking.

"It is just very frustrating when it happens because you are there to do a job."

The crew called the police but was told no one was available to attend the incident.