A firefighter at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service was assaulted when responding to an incident over the weekend.

The firefighter was trying to enter the property to extinguish the fire when he was attacked by a metal pole, which led him to fall on his back.

Reuben Wooley, 37, has been charged with arson with intent to endanger life, assault causing actual bodily harm, and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

Group Manager Tom Archer said: "We attend incidents to keep our communities safe, not to be assaulted or abused.

"Thankfully our firefighter's helmet protected him from this assault however this is not it's intended use. We strive to build better communities and have safety at the forefront of our minds when attending incidents.

"To hear that one of our firefighters was assaulted is something we do not tolerate and will always report this to our partners at the Police."

Detective Sergeant Andy Buxton of Nottinghamshire Police is leading the investigation. He said: "This was a shocking incident which has seen a firefighter injured in the course of his duties. Thankfully, more serious injuries were averted due to the firefighter’s headgear taking most of the blow.

"Emergency Services were called to Helston Drive in Strelley at around 2am on Sunday 20 December following a report of a fire.

"Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service were at the scene quickly and they used a ladder to enter the house to extinguish the fire.

"Being assaulted in the line of duty is not part of the job for any emergency services.

“Nottinghamshire Police is committed to protecting our communities and this is an unfortunate reminder of the dangers we face on a daily basis.”