Firefighters in the UK suspected official figures were being massaged relating to the number of violent attacks on crews.

Using the Freedom of Information Act, they got hold of the statistics themselves — and found they had every right to be suspicious.

Government had released data showing the number of attacks had dropped from 1,300 in 2006 to just 400 the following year — an apparent trend which flew in the face of anecdotal evidence from firefighters claiming to be regularly spat on, pelted with bricks, bottles, burning wood and stones as they tried to save lives.

The Fire Brigades Union used FOI to investigate and discovered that in reality the number of attacks had risen from 1,300 to 1,500.

The union's subsequent report, Easy Targets?, revealed assaults ranging from stabbings and shootings to ambushes where firefighters were pelted with missiles.

In one incident, an entire crew was taken to hospital after a gang armed with sticks and scaffolding poles attacked them.

A UK national newspaper, The Daily Telegraph reported FBU general secretary Matt Wrack as saying last month: "In some areas, attacking fire crews has become a recreational activity with very serious consequences.

"It is almost beyond belief that this can happen while they try to save lives. It cannot be part of anyone's job to face abuse, threats or attacks."

The FBU is now calling for fire crews to receive training on dealing with violent attacks, and for more money to be invested in decent protection and catching attackers.

The UK government said it would be happy to hold talks on tackling the problem.