TORCHING rubbish and attacking firefighters could put your family at risk - putting injured firefighters and damaged appliances off the road.

That's the warning children are being given after youths hurled bricks and bottles at crews, forcing them to retreat and summon police escorts.

"I want to raise awareness and make pupils feel more responsible," said crew manager Stuart Pickering, who is visiting every school in Widnes.

"Our profession is quite dangerous. Firefighters will risk their lives to get you out of a fire and they don't even know you. We feel a bit aggrieved getting attacked from you."

If firefighters are injured or appliances damaged, he says, emergency cover in Widnes would be cut.

"We've only got two fire engines in Widnes," explained Mr Pickering. "If one pump is damaged and another called out to a deliberate rubbish fire, we would have to wait for one from another area to deal with a house fire. It could be your mum or family at risk."

CCTV cameras have now been fitted to fire appliances, and any filmed evidence will be passed onto the police.