Crews were called to a blaze at New Street in Sutton when they were met by a large group of hostile youths.

The crews, from Parr Stocks Road station, had to fight their way through the crowds in order to douse the flames coming out of a set of wheelie bins.

As soon as they returned to their station they were called out to two more incidents in that area on Saturday night (June 14). Each time they were terrorised by the same gang of youths.

The second time they were called to a fire in a post box and on the third occasion they extinguished a rubbish blaze at the rear of New Street Community Centre.

The building has been derelict for some time and has been targeted several times by vandals.

They have managed to catch the offenders on CCTV and the police have been informed.

Crew manager Brian Gray said: "We were called out three times in the space of one night and each time this same gang was loitering around.

"They were so angry and abusive for no reason. It was more the girls than the boys in fact.

"As firefighters we get up every morning to help people, we shouldn't have to suffer this kind of abuse."