FIRE crews across Cheshire responded to more than 50 incidents throughout the county on what was a busy Bonfire Night.

As soon as darkness fell, the calls began to come in to North West Fire Control, which by the end of the night numbered well over 100.

Not only did crews attend bonfires in Runcorn, Winsford and Ellesmere Port, but firefighters also had to respond to several reports of wheelie bins being deliberately set alight.

The tone for the evening was set when Penketh Fire Station responded to reports of a large bonfire in Liskeard Close, Runcorn shortly before 5.30pm.

A spokesman for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "At around 5.30pm firefighters were called to reports of a large bonfire which was dangerously close to trees on Liskeard Close, Runcorn.

"Crews attended the scene reduced the size of the fire to a safe height.

"The fire was then left in the control of a responsible adult."

Within half an hour, another call came in about a bonfire on Bedford Rise in Winsford, with firefighters from the town's station using a hose reel jet to extinguish it.

The crew from Middlewich were then called into action to extinguish an unauthorised bonfire on Brecon Way in Winsford.

At around 7.15pm, it was the turn of firefighters in Widnes as they attended Ann Street West to extinguish an unattended bonfire.

There were several more call-outs to bonfires in the Ellesmere Port area, before several incidents of wheelie bins being set alight were reported.

Shortly before 8pm, the Penketh crew extinguished a bin on fire on Thomas Jones Way in Runcorn and then at 9.30pm were on call to a similar report on Wellfield Street in Warrington.

Birchwood fire station also had to extinguish a wheelie bin fire on Alder Lane in Warrington.

A spokesman for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "At 8.09pm firefighters used a water back pack to extinguish a wheelie bin which had been deliberately set alight at a play area on Alder Lane, Warrington."

Mark Cashin, Chief Fire Officer at Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service tweeted: "Popped into North West Fire Control.

"As ever they are doing an amazing job managing fire calls across the North West on one of our traditionally busy nights."