AN angry mob badly beat a policeman as he tried to clear them away from a potentially lethal bonfire lit directly under power cables.

The officer was punched and kicked by members of a 30-strong gang of 17-year-old youths who then hurled chunks of wood at firefighters.

Firefighters and police were forced to withdraw from the incident in Bold Street, Accrington, at 9.05pm.

The incident was one of a number across East Lancashire as fire crews had fireworks and abuse hurled at them during a deluge of Guy Fawkes night call-outs.

Oswaldtwistle fire station leading officer Garry Drinkwater said: "On arrival, we found that a police officer from Accrington was already at the scene.

"We liaised with the police and decided to put the fire out because it was dangerous.

"Then the youths turned on my crew, pushing them and throwing bits of wood.

"They forced us to withdraw from the incident."

A spokesman for Accrington police said the officer had not been badly hurt in the incident and was able to continue his duties.

It is believed he and a woman police officer had originally been called to nearby Hodder Street, Accrington, where youths were seen taking wood from allotment pens.

Ninety calls to bonfire and fireworks related incidents were made to the fire brigade in East Lancashire between 6pm and 6am this morning.

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