Firefighters suffer dozens of threats and attacks including facing weapons

Out of those attacks from April to September this year, 44 were verbal, nine were threatening behaviour and seven involved objects being thrown.

Three involved a weapon such as a knife or gun.

It compares to 105 assaults across the whole of 2016/17 and 95 in 2015/16.

The figures came from a Freedom of Information Act request.

Crews were attacked when they attended bonfires which were lit at a travellers' site in Rowley Regis in April.

Objects were thrown at a fire engine, damaging the windscreen and back window.

Crews will no longer attend the site in Cakemore Road unless they have a police escort.

Oldbury crew commander, Ian Nash, said: "We're lucky in Oldbury I suppose because we don't see or hear of many assaults.

"I was not at the case in Cakemore Road but was given the details on the incident.

"Before that, a few years ago, we had children direct of fireworks at the engine, it was not malicious."

Fire Brigades Union regional chairman Andrew Scattergood said: “Firefighters are the people that we rely on in our moments of most need.

"They willingly respond to emergencies everyday knowing that the risks they face are what make most other people run in the opposite direction.

"The last thing they expect or deserve is to be assaulted or attacked whilst they go about their job of saving lives."

A statement from the West Midlands Fire Service on the findings said: “Attacks can be verbal or physical, and might include hindrance or nuisance while firefighters are responding to and resolving incidents.

"When an attack is reported, it is referred to a station commander to consider and act on as needed.”