BRIERFIELD firefighter Dave Robinson was attacked by a mob of stone-throwing children and was lucky not to lose an eye.

The hail of missiles came from between 20 and 30 children, some as young as seven years old.

They objected to firefighter Robinson and his colleagues putting out a bonfire deliberately started next to fairground caravans at Fullege recreation ground, Burnley.

Firemen say it is sheer good fortune Mr Robinson was not hit in the eye and facing the prospect of being forced to quit the job to which he had given his working life.

And they are calling on every parent face up to their responsibilities and to know what their children are doing when they play out.

Mr Robinson, of Kibble Grove, is a father of three and has been in the fire service for 23 years. He worked at Nelson fire station before joining at Burnley.

He said: "We've had missiles thrown at us over the years, but these day what happens is much more sinister. We'd been called to a bonfire on the rec and while we were there we were told about another one which had been started near the caravans.

"We told the children the fire was potentially dangerous to the people living in the caravans and at that time everything was amicable.

"The stones started coming when we began to put the fire out.

"The first I saw of the one that hit me was as it came towards my eyes."

Fire Station officer Paul Harvey said: "An inch lower and he could have lost an eye. Parents have a duty to be responsible for their children and should make it abundantly clear to them that this sort of behaviour is not acceptable."

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