A BID to cut down on arson in North Yorkshire is to be launched this week.

The county's fire and rescue service is working with police to launch its arson reduction initiative.

The launch will take place on Friday at the Yorkshire Museum of Farming, at Murton, near York.

Leaders and chief executives from all local authorities will attend with other interested parties such as the probation service, social services, the local education authorities and businesses.

Chief fire officer Eric Clark will discuss how reducing arson would impact on the community and the significant reduction it would make in the cost to council tax payers.

The guest speaker is Janet Milne, from the Association of British Insurers' Arson Prevention Bureau.

She will set out the cost of arson in terms of increased premiums and also the initiatives to reduce the losses suffered