A PILOT scheme that has cut the number of cars being set on fire is being extended across County Durham.

The county's fire service and community safety partnerships have joined forces to remove old and abandoned vehicles that are likely to be a target for arsonists.

The scheme was started in Easington where it achieved a 42 per reduction over six months compared with the same period last year.

Across the county, the number of vehicle arsons has fallen by 29 per cent as the initiative has been taken up in some other areas following Easington's lead.

Station Officer John Bowery, the County Durham and Darlington service's arson co-ordinator, said: "If old vehicles are left on the street they get trashed or set on fire.

"The idea is that if a vehicle is reported to the council as being abandoned the police will do a risk assessment based on its appearance, value, its position and whether it is a danger to other road users and pedestrians.

"If we feel a vehicle is attracting attention and poses a risk we can ask the recovery agents used by the police to take it away.''

To be classed as abandoned, a vehicle must have no registered keeper, be untaxed, be damaged or neglected and left in a place that suggests it has been dumped.

Mr Bowery said that as well as the cost of a fire service call out and tying up firefighters, the damage and the potential for car fires to spread, abandoned vehicles caused environmental problems.

"We'd rather pay to lift these vehicles because if we don't we would have quality of life issues and the fear of crime," he said.

Mr Bowery said schemes in some areas in which untaxed vehicles are towed away or unroadworthy cars are taken to be scrapped had also helped cut the arson figures.

Sergeant Dave Young, of Peterlee police, said: "From our point of view we don't have to attend burnt-out vehicles and deal with the problems they cause.''