TEESSIDE has been named as the UK's arson capital.

Shock figures have revealed that nine out of ten fires in the area are started deliberately.

Just under 90 per cent of the 9,778 blazes tackled by Cleveland Fire Brigade last year were malicious, with the vast majority - more than 6,600 - the result of anti-social behaviour.

Sergeant Noel Young, of the arson task force, said: "These figures have put Cleveland at the top of the league for arson. They are clearly a concern and we, as partners, are determined to break the cycle.

"That is a policing priority. The minority that are responsible for such behaviour on the streets can cause massive disruption and misery to the law-abiding majority.

"Also, there is a significant cost to society in dealing with incidents of arson.''

The Government has told brigades to achieve a ten per cent reduction in fires in their areas by 2010.

Cleveland Fire Brigade said it had already achieved that reduction in the past 18 months, and that while the figures released by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister yesterday made depressing reading, they were for between 2003 and last year.

The figures for this year and last are expected to show an improvement.

Sgt Young said intelligence shared by Cleveland Police and Cleveland Fire Brigade was the best way to tackle the problem.

"Linking in with intelligence provided by the fire brigade will help in our efforts to curb such behaviour and directly target those responsible," he said.

"Although there will continue to be a forensic analysis of a deliberate fire, the emphasis will now focus on the sharing of information and intelligence, targeting increased detection rates and working with partners to reduce incidents of deliberate fires.''

Les Jones, Cleveland Fire Brigade community safety manager, said: "Intelligence-led partnership working with the police is key to the brigade's aim of reducing arson in the communities we serve.'