Police officers surrounded and attacked with fireworks in Manchester

Incident comes amid rising calls to protect officers after spate of violent attacks

There were more than 30,000 attacks on police in the year to March (Getty)

Police have been surrounded and attacked using fireworks near Manchester, in the latest attack on officers.

Greater Manchester Police said two officers had driven to Ashton-under-Lyne in a marked police car at around 8pm on Sunday.

“They were making enquiries on Burlington Street, when they were surrounded by a group of around 30 youths as they were sat in their car,” a spokesperson added.

“The youths began shouting abuse at the officers and some threw fireworks at the car.

“Further patrols attended a short time later and the group dispersed, with the offenders fleeing the scene. Thankfully the officers weren’t injured during the incident.”

It came days after a teenage boy threw a firework onto a bus in nearby Katherine Street, injuring a woman and her three-year-old son.

Inspector Lee Derbyshire said: “The stupidity being shown by those responsible, who seem to think that it is ok to throw fireworks at or near other human beings, is unbelievable. If this continues then it is only a matter of time before somebody gets seriously injured so it is important that we put a stop to this now.

“If you believe you have information that can help us find those responsible, then I would urge you to please contact police immediately.”

It came amid calls for action to combat rising attacks on police officers, following the death of PC Andrew Harper in Berkshire.

Other incidents in recent weeks have seen an officer hit by a car in Birmingham, and another officer attacked with a machete in London.

Figures released last month by the Office of National Statistics revealed there were more than 30,000 attacks on police across England and Wales in the year to March, up from around 26,000 in 2017-18.

They included 10,399 “assaults with injury on a constable”, an increase of 27 per cent since 2017-18 when the crime category was first recorded. The number of assaults on officers “without injury” also rose by 13 per cent to 20,578.

That equates to at least 84 assaults on police officers, resulting in 28 injuries, a day.

Some police forces have announced that Tasers will be offered to all frontline officers for their own protection.

Part of a firework launcher that was used to attack a police car in Ashton-under-Lyne on 25 August (GMP)

Chief Constable Nick Adderley, who announced the move in Northamptonshire Police last week, told The Independent government cuts to drug and alcohol intervention programmes, social services and a wider rise in violence were all contributing to the issue.

“There is no question in my mind that the reduction in police officers on the street has almost given licence to people to be violent and abusive, because they know it is very challenging for us to get back-up,” he added.

At least nine police officers, including PC Harper, have been killed attempting to prevent crime in England and Wales over the past decade.

In 2012 Ian Dibell of Essex Police was shot dead trying to disarm a gunman near his home in Clacton-on-Sea.

Two months later Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes were lured to their deaths by Dale Cregan and in 2017, PC Keith Palmer was stabbed to death tackling a terrorist outside parliament.

John Apter, chair of the Police Federation, said the organisation was encouraging officers to report attacks so the true scale of the problem can be addressed.

“But not everyone does, so I think that as high as they are, the figures are the tip of the iceberg,” he told The Independent.

“It’s a whole host of things in the public sector whether it’s the probation service, CPS, police, education, social services - all of it needs massive investment. Because the whole jigsaw needs to fit together nicely and at the moment it’s fragmented.”

Anyone with information on the firework incident is asked to call police on 0161 856 9350 or contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.