Brigade appeals to parents in campaign against arson

Latest figures show hoax calls and vehicles deliberately set on fire in the Cleveland Fire Brigade area are down by 28 per cent and deliberate house fires by 20 per cent - the best performance in seven years.

With the arrival of the summer holidays, however, brigade bosses are urging parents to be responsible and keep an eye on what their children are up to during the six weeks they are off school.

Teesside is top of the UK league for incidents of arson and the brigade fears bored youngsters, starting their long break from school, may reverse the improving record.

Mark Whelan, director of operations and community safety, said: "The majority of parents are responsible and most kids are well behaved but, sadly, there are people out there who cause a lot of disruption to the fire brigade and other emergency services.

"We have problems with hoax calls, deliberate fires on the hills and in derelict buildings, as well as attacks on firefighters when they are trying to do their job.

"All of these problems cause a drain on our resources and cost taxpayers money, as well as putting the public and their own lives in danger.

"It is quite possible for a simple prank to end in tragedy."

Barry Waller, Thornaby station manager for the brigade, said: "During school holidays, there is normally an increase in the amount of hoax calls we get in and an increase in the number of deliberate fires we have.

"The six weeks of holidays are the longest period that children are off school and, in six weeks, they can cause a lot of disruption.

"We would ask parents to keep a close eye on what their children are up to and explain to them the problems that this kind of bad behaviour can cause.

"When we get called out to a hoax call, it could delay us getting to a real fire and therefore put lives in danger."

The brigade runs a range of community fire safety and education projects and arson reduction strategies.