Firefighters Assaulted After Funeral

Detectives in Southampton are appealing for witnesses after two off-duty firefighters were attacked as they tried stop a domestic incident between a man and a woman on Shirley High Street.

The firefighters, aged 36 and 28, were in the ‘Shirley Hotel’ when they became aware of the man and woman having what appeared to be a violent argument outside.

They went out to try and diffuse it but one was hit in the face by a man who ran across the road to another pub, the two firefighters followed but were then attacked again by at least two men.

It left one of them unconscious and with a fractured eye socket and a cut to his face. The other suffered cuts and bruising to his face. The attackers ran off after the assault.

Both men were treated at Southampton General Hospital for their injuries. One of them had to have 20 stitches to the cuts on his face.

One of the attackers is described as around 5ft 10ins tall, aged in his 20s, and the other is thought to be in his 30s.

The assault happened on Shirley High Street between 9.30 and 10pm on Friday, April 30. The firefighters had returned earlier that day from attending the funeral of a colleague who died in the fire at Shirley Towers in Southampton in April.

It’s believed there were a large number of people around at the time outside the two pubs and passing-by and police are keen to speak with any witnesses.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Detective Constable Steve Lanham at Shirley CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.