Fire chiefs asked the Metro for improved security at St Anne's Primary School in Standish Lower Ground after their officers were pelted with bricks and bottles as they tackled deliberately set fires there.

Firefighters are not the only victims of violent anti-social behaviour. The site has also been the scene of numerous cases of vandalism and claims that youths are throwing stones at cars passing along Wigan Lower Road during the evening.

One motorist who stopped to remonstrate with a gang he thought had damaged his car was punched in the face. Ben Cartwright, Amber Watch commander at Wigan Fire Station, blasted both the teenagers and their parents following the attacks on his men in March.

The incidents followed several other call-outs to rubbish fires outside the school and a barrage of abuse from youngsters.

But now the authorities have gone on the offensive. Mr Cartwright said: "If you can convince the local authority that there is a bad enough problem then covert cameras will be installed and this is what has happened in our case.

"They are very well hidden and we are not bothered that they know they are there. Being aware you are being watched has good deterrent value.

"There have been so many incidents down there and they were getting worse. It was only going to be a matter of time before someone was seriously hurt.

"But we still want to know where these youths' parents are. If it was my lad behaving like that his feet wouldn't touch the ground.

"These youths are out every night and they must come home stinking of
booze.
"What are the parents doing to stop this?"