HAPLESS Fire Minister Penny Mordaunt had to flee an official fire station opening yesterday when furious firefighters forced her car to turn back.

The Portsmouth MP was set to mingle with London brigade bosses at a cosy tea-and-sandwiches tour of the new £4.9 million West Norwood fire station.

But she reversed at speed after police failed to contain protesters ringing the “state-of-the-art” private finance initiative project.