A GROUP of teenagers are blazing a trail as the first young firefighters on Teesside.

The 24 youngsters, aged 13 and 14, were recruited by Cleveland Fire Brigade to take part in a £218,000 two-year pilot project.

The 12 boys and 12 girls will not tackle any real fires, but they will perform everything from drills to problem-solving exercises. Fire chiefs hope it will encourage youngsters to respect the work of the brigade.

Youth scheme project manager Gordon Young said: "What we are trying to do is open up the fire brigade as an organisation to them and make them understand what we do.

"We are hoping it will help reduce arson and nuisance calls and that the information about community fire safety which we pass on to them will, in turn, be passed on to their families and friends."

The children were chosen to take part in the scheme after Mr Young visited schools in Redcar to talk about the national Young Firefighters' Association (YFA), which was launched in Norfolk in 1983 and now has groups run by 36 brigades.

He said: "The YFA can best be described as a uniformed, disciplined youth organisation that will offer young people a varied, structured programme of learning. Although it has a fire service- related background, no member need aspire to be a firefighter.

"Perhaps indirectly though, our scheme will encourage children to think about a career in the fire service. More important will be the life skills they will pick up by being involved."

The group, which has its own uniform and drill kit, meets every Wednesday for two hours at Redcar Fire Station, where the youngsters are encouraged to interact with the firefighters.

Councillor Brenda Forster, Cleveland Fire Authority chairman, said: "The project aims to help youngsters develop their potential, both mentally and physically, as well as promoting self-discipline, social consciousness and community awareness. We are delighted to launch the association with help from Redcar and Cleveland council."

The scheme has been funded through the Redcar and Cleveland Local Strategic Partnership's Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.