MISCHIEF Night brought scores of incidents across North Yorkshire last night.

Police handled reports of 113 incidents of youths hurling eggs and fireworks.

Firefighters were also stretched, attending 35 rubbish fires and firework-related incidents up to midnight, when the mayhem traditionally tails off.

Despite the level of incidents, both services said there had been no reported injuries.

Across the North Yorkshire Police force area, 58 incidents of youths throwing eggs were recorded as well as 55 incidents involving fireworks.

In York, police dealt with 18 fireworks incidents and 12 cases of egg-throwing. A police spokesman said that there were no injuries.

He said: "Obviously youths throwing eggs cause a nuisance, and this was 58 incidents too many. "

A North Yorkshire Fire Service spokeswoman said: "We were kept pretty busy. Many of these calls were to skip fires, rubbish bins and the odd car. We have been very busy.

"Normally we receive one or two calls of this nature an hour. All of these calls have been of children setting fire to things."

Sgt Simon Wilson, of North Yorkshire Police's force control room at Newby Wiske, said: "We have had a number of calls about the usual mischief-related problems, such as fireworks being thrown or put through letterboxes."

One victim of the Mischief Night mayhem was Teresa Scott, who runs Milton Street Off-licence, off Hull Road, York

She was disgusted to discover her shop front had been smeared in excrement. A soiled pair of pants was also left at the scene.

Mrs Scott has put a sign outside her shop today to condemn the culprits. It read: "This is our sick society. Are you proud of yourselves?"

She said: "Whoever was responsible obviously has no respect for other people. This is the first time anything like this has happened."

...but all they wanna do is dance at the disco

MORE than 700 York teenagers shunned mischief last night and enjoyed an evening of fun at a city night-spot.

Crowds of 14 to 17-year-olds flocked to Clifton Moor-based night-club Ikon for an evening of top tunes.

The popular party venue staged a dance night, dubbed Go Supernova At Ikon, in a bid to help keep young people off the streets and out of trouble on so-called Mischief Night.

The event, which ran from 6.30pm until 9pm, featured DJ Matt Moriarty, of Love 2 Be Kissed, Leeds, and resident DJ Rob.

Members of York's crime-fighting alliance, Safer York Partnership, were on hand to offer information and advice on drugs in support of Ikon's strong anti-drugs stance.

Jane Mowat, the partnership's director, said: "It was great to see so many young people enjoying themselves in a safe environment, and it was good for us to know that it meant 700 people having a good time rather than getting into mischief."

Paul Stray, Ikon assistant manager, said: "It was a very good night and something we were very happy to be involved with. It was a very positive event overall and everyone had a good time."

Proceeds from the event will go to children's hospital charity ECHO.

Rocket hits bedroom

THE grandmother of two York schoolchildren who narrowly escaped serious injury when an out-of-control rocket smashed through their bedroom window has called for fireworks to be banned - except at organised displays.

Joan Brayshaw said it was a miracle her granddaughters Abigail, eight, and Bethany, six, were not badly hurt in the incident, on October 27.

They were upstairs playing in the bedroom of their home at Spalding Avenue, Clifton, when the rocket smashed through the window, showering broken glass everywhere.

It set fire to the bed, whizzed around the room setting fire to the carpet, and then went out into the landing, where it set fire to the landing carpet as well.

"How they were not hurt is a miracle," said Mrs Brayshaw, of Chaloners Road. "I would like to see fireworks banned altogether apart from displays. They are too dangerous."

Updated: 11:42 Tuesday, November 05, 2002