Plea to parents and guardians following a number of deliberate fires

"Despite the current lockdown we’re still attending deliberate fires so we are asking parents and guardians to make sure they know where their children are and what they are up to," said a spokesman.

"Over the last few weeks we have still attended a number of small outdoor fires which were started deliberately, some of we believe were started by children and young people.

"We are asking that if you are a parent or guardian that you know what your children are up to when they are taking their daily exercise. You can help keep your families safe by keeping matches and lighters somewhere out of the reach of children, talking to them about fire safety and fitting smoke alarms on every level of your home," he said.

Please remind children that;

Deliberately starting fires is usually a criminal offence and even small fires can endanger lives.

Fire spreads quickly and can be unpredictable.

Playing with fire in the home or garden can have serious unintended consequences.

Fires outside can easily get out of control and cause damage to woodland, moorland and wildlife.

If you are worried that your child is playing with fire you can get confidential advice by calling (freephone) 0800 074 0064 or emailing [email protected]