THE FIRE Brigades Union (FBU) has said it is “disgusted and disappointed” that firefighters were called to help at the anti-fracking protests in Ryedale.

On Monday, a fire crew was called to help police get a man down from a tower put up over the weekend by protesters at the gates of Third Energy’s gas well outside Kirby Misperton.

The fire service’s aerial ladder platform from Scarborough was sent to the scene to help specially trained police officers reach him.

But Steve Howley, secretary of North Yorkshire Fire Brigades Union criticised the decision to involve fire crew. In an email to Kirby Misperton Protection Camp, which was shared on Facebook, he said the fire service remit was to save life and property and involvement in the protest was out of their remit.

He said: “In terms of the fire service involvement I am disgusted and disappointed Firefighters have been placed in such a position by the Police and secondly senior fire service managers by their decisions to force Firefighters to attend the site yesterday.

“We are clear this is not the role of the fire service, as we are there to render humanitarian services and save life and property, not provide law and order intervention.”

Mr Howley said he raised his concerns with a senior fire officer.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service says it believes there was a risk to public safety and fire service personnel were not attending in order to help with law enforcement.

A spokesperson from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Our Aerial Ladder Platform from Scarborough attended the scene to assist specially trained police officers to reach an individual who was at risk on unsafe scaffolding, which was in danger of collapse.

“We regularly assist partner agencies at incidents where there is a risk to life or public safety.

“North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service will only attend incidents at the Kirby Misperton site if there is a risk to life or public safety and not to assist with law enforcement elements. This has always been our position and it hasn’t changed since the incident on Monday.”

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: "A protestor was removed from unsafe scaffolding on a grass verge on Habton Road, Kirby Misperton, at about 5pm on 2 October. For his own safety and that of other road users, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service attended with an aerial ladder platform, and police officers with specialist training removed him.

"Officers negotiated throughout the day with three people on top of the unsafe scaffolding, which could have collapsed and put road users at risk. One did not come down, and significant emergency services resources had to be used for his own and other road users’ safety and welfare.

"He was arrested, and has been charged with obstructing a police officer. North Yorkshire County Council arranged to have the scaffolding removed.

"North Yorkshire Police are completely impartial with regards to the ongoing debate in relation to hydraulic fracturing."

Eddie Thornton, from Kirby Misperton Protection Camp said: “It was a perfectly safe structure but the police called the fire brigade to take him off.”