Terror as firework is thrown into chippy

Oct 26 2006 By Tony Deeley, Birmingham Mail

STARTLED staff dived for cover after yobs hurled a huge, display-style firework into a newly-decorated Black Country chip shop.

Firefighters who attended the incident at Wolverhampton, today described the repeater firework as a potential bomb and said it was fortunate no-one was hurt.

The incident - captured on CCTV cameras - was today being investigated by police.

The yobs struck at the Three Tuns Chippy in Three Tuns Lane, Fordhouses, just after 10pm yesterday, throwing the 2ft wide, 100 repeater firework into the customer area of the shop.

Station Officer Brian Worrallo, of Fallings Park fire station, said a youth and an adult were believed to have been involved in the incident.

"The firework was out when we arrived and no-one was injured but it could have been a lot more serious.

"It was shooting three-inch plastic projectiles into the ceiling and the three members of staff - all men - had to shelter behind the counter.

"With such a large amount of explosives inside, this firework was a potential bomb.

Police are investigating the incident as arson with intent and there are CCTV images of what happened."

Mr Worrallo said the shop, which had not long been refurbished, was left with dents and scorch marks in the ceiling from where the missiles had struck.

"Fortunately nothing was set alight," he added.

A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said today: "We are investigating this incident, which has been crimed as causing an explosion with intent."

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