CHESHIRE firefighters witnessed a dramatic drop in the number of call-outs to bonfires this year.

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service was called out to deal with around 142 bonfires between October 15 and November 6.

Chief Fire Officer Paul Hancock, said: “While we are still verifying our official statistics, initial reports look like we have once again seen a reduction in the number of bonfire incidents. When you consider that only a few years ago the numbers exceeded 300 this really does represent a great improvement.”

This year’s campaign saw an increased use of ‘midi’ fire appliances known as Tactical Response Vehicles (TRVs). These patrolled known bonfire ‘hot spots’ areas to act as a deterrent and also responded to nuisance bonfires before they became a risk to the public.

The service started its bonfire night preparations well in advance of the actual night by working alongside partners to remove unauthorised and potentially dangerous bonfires.

It visited local businesses to give them advice about storing rubbish to make them a harder target for would be arsonists.

Mr Hancock added: “Our aim is not to stop people from having fun it is about keeping people safe as they enjoy what should be a fun family event. We know all too well the devastating impact the misuse of fire and fireworks can have and so are committed to doing all we can to prevent it.”