YOUTHS hurled stones at fire crews as they tackled rubbish fires in Darwen last night.

Fire crews were called out six times to the Queen Street area between 6.30pm and 9pm to put out the fires which had been started deliberately.

They had to call for a police escort after one of the incidents where children as young as eight were throwing stones at crews as they tackled a blaze.

Sub-officer Liam Wilson said: "It's absolute lunacy. Not only do we have to put up with being hit with stones during the course of our duty, but these people are putting people's lives at stake by starting the fires in the first place.

"If there had been a fire at a domestic property in Darwen at the same time as these incidents were taking place it would have meant a crew going out from Accrington or Blackburn. Vital minutes would've been lost."

Last week fire crews putting out a blaze in Shadsworth were also stoned by youths as they tried to put out fires started by the youngsters.