FIREFIGHTERS in south Wales have been subjected to 129 incidents of physical and verbal attacks over the past five years, it has been revealed.

A Freedom of Information request by Plaid Cymru published today shows crews from the three Welsh fire and rescue services had been the target of more than 250 physical and verbal attacks since 2009-10.

There were 129 incidents in South Wales, 64 in Mid and West Wales and 58 in North Wales and they included physical attacks, objects being thrown at crews and appliances, and harassment.

In Gwent, Caerphilly was the authority with the most incidents with 19 recorded during this period. Newport had 14 incidents, Torfaen had 12, Blaenau Gwent had seven, and Monmouthshire had five incidents.

Lindsay Whittle, Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales East, said: “It is totally unacceptable that firefighters who risk their safety in the line of duty face both physical and verbal abuse.

“There must be a zero tolerance policy against all those who abuse our brave firefighters.

“Firefighters do a brilliant job on behalf of the public in very difficult circumstances and Plaid Cymru believes that the UK Westminster Government should not be attacking the pensions of these brave men and women.”

Police were forced to attend 67 incidents in Gwent during this period. But the amount of incidents recorded during the 2013/14 financial year (16), was more than half the figure in 2009/10 (39).

Cerith Griffiths, secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) in Wales, said: “The issue of attacks on firefighters is something the FBU has campaigned on for many years and we welcome calls for a zero tolerance attitude. Attacks on firefighters are not only unwarranted but dangerous.”