Firefighter shot at during blaze

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/manchester/8106455.stm

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A firefighter had to dive out of the way after a gang shot at him with an air rifle while he was tackling a blaze at a scrap yard in Greater Manchester.

The crew had been attending the suspected arson attack, which resulted in 60 cars going up in flames in Chadderton, Oldham.

Billy Myers, group commander, said: "He saw the boy pointing the gun at him and threw himself out of the way."

The pellet flew past him and embedded in a nearby car.

Mr Myers said: "This kind of incident is all too common, we have had bricks thrown at the fire appliances, firefighters have been spat at and now we are being shot at."

More than 20 firefighters tackled the blaze on Tuesday, which destroyed dozens of cars at Broadbents Scrap Yard on Broadbents Road.

Supt Stuart Goodwin, of Greater Manchester Police, said: "Interfering with the work of firefighters is a stupid and dangerous crime and I would appeal to anyone with information about either incident to call police."