Cleveland Fire Brigade arson reduction officer Gary Mason was shot in the back with a .22 calibre air gun in Miers Avenue and said had it struck him in the face, he could have been blinded.

Mr Mason, who still serves in the TA, said bluntly: "You expect to be shot at in Iraq, but not in the West View area of Hartlepool."

Firefighters have now been placed on alert amid fears other attacks could be carried out.

Mr Mason, is a former soldier who served for six months in Baghdad last year, had been inspecting a property in the street, when he was shot in the back as he returned to his fire brigade van.

The attack comes weeks after Royal Mail closed a post box on the Central Estate, after a postman was shot at with an air rifle.

Cleveland Police say they are investigating the latest attack and have appealed for anyone with information to contact them.

Dad-of-two Mr Mason, who was a captain in the Adjutant General's Corps before joining the fire brigade four years ago, was not hurt as the pellet only lodged in his jacket but said he could have been blinded if it hit him in the eye.

The 45-year-old, from Hartlepool, said: "I was in Baghdad last year. I am an ex-soldier who joined the TA, and was sent there to work in the US Embassy. You expected to be shot at in Iraq, but not in the West View area of Hartlepool.

"What gets me is that I was in uniform and in a fire brigade vehicle doing my job trying to make peoples' lives better, and I have this idiot taking pot shots.

"It didn't hurt but if it hit me in the eye, I could have been blinded."
Fire chiefs say they take a zero tolerance on officers being targeted in attacks and have issued a warning to officers that they could be under attack.

Steve Harll, watch manager at Stranton Fire Station, said: "If there is a report of violence towards staff the immediate thing we do is inform everyone else.

"It is a sad state of affairs for an organisation working for the community now having to go in there and have problems.

"We have a zero tolerance on it and if we can catch them, we will."

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman confirmed they are investigating the incident, at 11am on Wednesday, March 12, and urged anyone with information can contact PC Nigel Home on (016242) 302126.