SINCE 'private hire' taxi drivers are to be given lessons in self-defence by Blackburn with Darwen Council, can we also look forward to members of the Fire Service being given lessons on such things as ambush evasion, heading-the-house brick and running the gauntlet?

These, for more years than I care to remember, have had to be endured in certain areas of Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn, Burnley and also some areas of Pendle.

Firefighters do a thankless, very dangerous job, 24 hours a day, 365 of them every year! Spurious telephone calls from certain areas (after the ambush is set-up and something set on fire) sometimes end up with both expensive damage to life-saving equipment and, more importantly, injuries to serving officers.

Perhaps there should be some 'no go' areas for them just as the private hire taxi drivers are threatening.

H ROBINSON (Mr), Juniper Court, Woodside Road, Accrington.