A NEW team is to help a corner of the North-East shake off its reputation as the arson capital of Europe.

An Arson Investigation Team is about to begin operating on Teesside.

With the help of £80,000 of Home Office funding, it hopes to drive down the figure of nearly 100 deliberate fires started there each week - the highest in Britain.

Based on successful schemes elsewhere, the team has devised a three-pronged approach of detection, prevention and education.

Comprising station officer George Crooks, Detective Constable Graham Thompson and civilian Mike Todd, the team will work in close partnership with Teesside's four borough councils and the police to eradicate fire sources such as rubbish, which can prove tempting to arsonists.

Station officer Crooks said: "We will be receiving information directly from fire incidents, looking at them and plotting them on maps. We will be looking for hot spots and repeat events to find trends and patterns.

"About 80 per cent of our deliberate fire calls are as a consequence of dangerous refuse, which can be anything from multiple bins of refuse, to fly tipping and derelict cars."

Although the £80,000 is a one-off grant for the team's first year, station officer Crooks said he was confident that more money would come in when its success was evident.

"The £80,000 is for three vehicles and equipment," he said.

"Hopefully, after the first year, we will be able to prove what we can do.

"The fire brigade and police will maintain the wages."

l The BBC 2 programme Close Up North will focus on the problem of fire starters tonight at 7.30pm.