A retained firefighter was lucky not to lose an eye when a rock was thrown at the window of an appliance on Sunday night.

MORE: Thetford firefighter could have suffered 'life-changing' injuries after rock thrown at applianceIt came after crews tackled a number of deliberately started fires on Barnham Cross Common in Thetford. Whoever started them wasted time and taxpayers' money, tying up a crew which could have been needed for a more serious emergency.

They damaged a specialised 4x4 fire engine designed to reach areas inaccessible to conventional pumps, taking it out of commission until it can be repaired.

And – had his vision been permanently affected – Norfolk's fire service would have lost a retained firefighter at a time when the brigade is struggling to recruit enough to crew the pumps in many of our towns and villages.

Attacks on any member of the emergency services who put their safety on the line for the rest of us are simply intolerable.