THE mentality of thugs who stone fire crews defies any logical explanation.

These morons put at risk the lives of firefighters and members of the public. But the people who should be searching their consciences today are their parents.

Some of the attacks on Blackburn's Fishmoor Estate took place as late as midnight.

Surely parents must wonder what their youngsters are up to if they are still roaming the streets at that time of night?

Chris Norse, Blackburn fire station's commanding officer, is absolutely right when he says something must be done about the situation before someone is killed.

His crews have been called out as many as five times in a night to deal with fires deliberately started as part of these idiot yobs' ambushes.

There can be no excuses for this sort of crass behaviour. It cannot be put down to youthful high spirits.

Anyone who can hurl missiles at a service that is there to save lives and protect property is totally lacking in intelligence - or just plain evil.

Firefighters put their own lives on the line for the sake of the community.

We can understand - although never accept or condone - a certain class of people who see the police as the enemy and therefore treat them as targets.

But firefighters are there to help people in distress - even the thickos who hurl bricks at them. Apart from their basic duties they turn out to all manner of emergencies, from horrific road, rail and aircraft accidents to the rescue of trapped dogs, cats and farm animals. They are completely dedicated to helping all members of the community and their wonderful work is appreciated by the vast majority of us.

That is why the action of the mindless minority is so difficult to comprehend.

Most of them will not have experienced a moment of discipline since the day they were born and plainly have difficulty in distinguishing right from wrong.

For that we blame their parents.

Police, council and fire brigade have responded to this latest outbreak of madness.

But it is in the homes of these yobs that the real repair work must be done.

Parents must open their eyes to the activities of the young louts and take action before they have deaths on their consciences.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.