A scheme to reduce arson attacks is being launched on Teesside.

The aim is to cut the number of car fires by taking abandoned vehicles off the street before arsonists can strike.

Middlesbrough Borough Council will check reports of dumped vehicles against a computer map, drawn up by Cleveland Fire Brigade, of arson hot spot locations.

If there is a match, the cars will be towed away as soon as possible.

Cleveland Police and the DVLA will check if the car has a registered owner.

Last year, Middlesbrough council launched a crackdown on the growing problem of cars being dumped on street corners, waste ground and in alleyways. These measures include crushing vehicles within seven days of a notice being put on windscreens, if it goes unheeded.

If traced, the owner will be charged up to £160 to cover removal and disposal expenses.

The problem has mushroomed in Middlesbrough from 295 cars towed away in 1998, to 503 in 1999, and 952 last year.

The totals include requests from owners to Middlesbrough council to have their cars collected.

Middlesbrough council waste services officer Bill Morton said: "What is happening is the fire brigade is targeting areas where there have been known car fires.

"Any cars found abandoned in areas where there is a high fire risk are removed quicker than we would do normally.''

He said the police established whether there was an owner, and if the car was abandoned by thieves, in which case it was returned to its owner, free of charge.

In 1998, vandals torched 126 cars in Stockton, 270 in Middlesbrough, 252 in east Cleveland and 91 in Hartlepool.

In 1999, these figures rose to 166 in Stockton, 429 in Middlesbrough, 303 in east Cleveland, and 196 at Hartlepool. Last year, there were 168 vehicles set on fire in Stockton, 525 in Middlesbrough, 308 in east Cleveland, and 195 in Hartlepool.

Station Officer George Crooks, of the brigade's arson investigation unit, said they were taking a pro-active approach.

He said: "What we are trying to do is remove vehicles before anti-social behaviour starts.