EFFORTS to steer bored youths away from starting fires are proving a success in a district previously plagued by arson.

Statistics showed the number of minor arson incidents rose during school holiday periods in the east Durham area.

Tackling the problem became a priority of the Easington Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership, a joint police, fire brigade and district council group, which is part-funded by the Home Office.

The response led to a 41 per cent reduction in arson fires in the Easington area since December.

Steve Donnelly, Seaham fire station commander, said: "Last year, there was a passive increase in secondary fires, involving abandoned cars, derelict buildings, rubbish bins and the like.

"Something had to be done, as lives and major property are put at risk if firefighters are tied up with these nuisance fires, and time is lost getting them to a major fire.

"We decided, with the support of the education authority and headteachers, to go into the schools to talk to young people."

A £36,000 Home Office grant for laptop computers and portable equipment has helped the fire advice team make presentations across the district.

Mr Donnelly said: "Since then, we have spoken to 6,000 pupils in the area about the role of firefighters in the community and what their jobs involve.

"Our aim was to place responsibility for their actions back on to the young people."

Every junior and senior school in the area was covered within two months, each receiving a 25-minute presentation.

Work has also taken place to take away the temptation of starting fires, removing 159 dumped or abandoned vehicles, leading to vehicle fires dropping from 63 in the 12 months to March 2002, to 21 up to March this year.

A vacant property boarding up scheme has also been launched, while 3,000 free smoke detectors have been put into homes in the past nine months.

Mr Donnelly said: "Freeing up time spent on unnecessary fires enables firefighters to do their most important job, saving life."

The partnership now aims to follow up the success with an anti-social behaviour and motorbike safety presentation being given to schools in the next fortnight.