THE number of 999 calls made to the fire service on Bonfire Night dropped by almost 30 per cent compared to last year.

But firework-related incidents increased, despite the number of educational visits to schools and seizures of more than 1,800 illegal and dangerous fireworks.

Insp Lin Houldershaw said: “Police officers were out in force and conducted 1,255 stop and searches resulting in the seizure of illegal bangers and similar fireworks that should not be available to under-18s.”

Members of the Treacle Partnership, which includes Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue and Greater Manchester Police, said the drop in calls was due to their hard-hitting awareness campaign.

On Bonfire Night itself, Friday, November 5, the fire service took 437 emergency calls — a 28 per cent reduction from 2009.

This year in Greater Manchester, between October 25 and November 11, there were 1,203 fireworkrelated incidents, compared to 1,030 in 2009. There were 2,830 incidents of anti-social behaviour, compared to 5,786 in 2009, and 1,011 incidents of criminal damage, compared to 1,087 the year before.

Meanwhile the North West Ambulance Service said it dealt with five bonfire or firework-related incidents in Bolton over the weekend.