FIRE brigades in the North-East are campaigning for sprinklers to be fitted in all new schools to reduce the number of incidents.

Chief Fire Officer of Tyne and Wear Metropolitan Fire and Rescue Service, Richard Bull, wants to see water sprinklers included in the design of all schools.

He is backed by County Durham and Darlington Fire Brigade, which is already working with local authorities to ensure sprinklers are fitted in new schools.

A spokesman for County Durham and Darlington Brigade said the service would like to see sprinklers included in schools as a mandatory requirement in building regulations.

He said across the country more than 2,000 schools are damaged by fire every year with 70 per cent being started deliberately, costing £100m.

"Educating children about the risks of fire setting is not enough. Fire protection capable off effectively lessening the impact of a fire on a school is paramount."

He said Durham County Council had agreed on a policy of fitting sprinklers in all new schools.

Darlington Council is providing sprinklers in three schools to be built but it is yet to make the move part of its policy.

The authority will make a decision on plans for a new school at Middleton St George on Wednesday, on the site of the original school which was damaged by a fire deliberately started in February last year.

"A loss of a school due to fire has huge financial implications," said the spokesman. "Equally devastating are the effects on pupils, teachers and local communities because of the loss of years of work and learning resources.

"Sprinklers are by far the most efficient and effective way of protecting our school building stock and the lives of those either in the schools or called upon to fight the fires."