Street turned into Bonfire night 'warzone' as car set alight and police attacked with fireworks

A street in east Manchester was turned into a 'warzone' on Bonfire Night, with a car set alight and police officers attacked with fireworks during scenes of mayhem.

Emergency services descended on Vine Street between Gorton and Abbey Hey as a large group of youths began to gather, creating makeshift barricades with mattresses and pallets.

The mob, of around 20 to 30 individuals, started an illegal bonfire with waste and a motorbike, as they set fire to a car and pelted TAU police officers and their vehicles with the fireworks, narrowly missing other passing vehicles on Tuesday night (November 5).

READ MORE Bonfire night chaos as police pelted with fireworks by huge group of youths in street

One eyewitness likened the street to a 'warzone' with smoke filling the air and burnt out wood and empty firework casings littering the residential street.

Dramatic pictures from the scene showed a car engulfed in flames, as tensions flared between Tactical Aid officers, fire service crews and the group of youths.

"Looks like a full scale war zone down there," described one person on social media, as another commented: "They were at it from four o'clock. They barricaded the street off. I had to climb over pallets and boards to get home and wouldn't let cars through, hurling fireworks and wood and bricks at cars."

Another resident claimed 'kids were throwing them at each other' as families with young children made their way down the street.

Other pictures from the scene showed a number of police vans in attendance in attempt to bring the situation under control, disperse the crowds and put out the illegal bonfire. A number of arrests for public order offences were made.

It is thought a number of innocent motorists were caught up in the crossfire as the flares were lit and thrown towards police vans on Tuesday night. Trouble developed throughout the evening after crews were first called out shortly after 4.30pm before crowds were dispersed.

The Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: Shortly after 4:35pm this evening (Tuesday 5 November) two fire engines from Blackley and Gorton fire stations were called to reports of a dangerous bonfire on Vine Street, Manchester.

“With the support of Greater Manchester Police crews were able to bring the area under control and extinguish the fire. Firefighters were in attendance for around an hour”

It comes as emergency services were put on high alert across Halloween and Bonfire Night, with police and fire crews on hand to tackle incidents of anti-social behaviour erupting across the region.

Officers were said to be out on patrol in 'hotspot areas' to tackle issues including nuisance fireworks, fires and crowds. Specialist resources are also on hand to be deployed.