FIREFIGHTERS were pelted with stones by a gang of youths after a hoax call-out to a Redditch school yesterday morning.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service spokesman Alec Mackie has slammed the attack at St Thomas More First School in Woodrow as a "a disgraceful situation and a sad state of community life".

The crew was alerted to reports of a blaze at the Studley Road school after a man made a 999 call from a public payphone at about 2am.

But when they arrived and began searching the grounds for a fire, they were set upon by a group of about eight thugs.

The youths, who were behind a fence on a walkway close to the school grounds, began throwing stones and other missiles at the 10-strong crew.

Mr Mackie said: "It was fairly obvious the firefighters had been set up.

''This was a deliberate ploy to get these firefighters on a fool's errand so the youths could have a bit of fun."