Attacks on firefighters in Ayrshire will not be tolerated this Bonfire Night, revellers have been warned.

Assistant chief officer Lewis Ramsay has spoken out after crews were targeted by missiles and fireworks last year.

Firefighters across the country responded to 970 incidents on November 5, 2016, including 326 unofficial bonfires, while operations control dealt with hundreds of calls.

A team of firefighters in Ayrshire was also targeted twice within hours.

Mr Ramsay said: "Our firefighters' main purpose is to save lives. You can rest assured that they will always be there and standing on the frontline to help at times of emergency.

"It is beggars belief when I hear that they have either been physically assaulted or verbally abused when trying to assist their communities.

"I would like to take this opportunity to stress once again that this will not be tolerated because our firefighters absolutely do not deserve to be met with such behaviour."

Last year, an appliance in Ayrshire was hit by objects thrown from a crowd when firefighters attended an unorganised bonfire at St Margaret's Road, Ardrossan.

Police had to escort the crew to extinguish the fire.

No injuries were suffered by the firefighters but damage to the appliance was discovered on return to the station.

The same crew was attacked in a similar incident two hours earlier on New England Road, Saltcoats.