EMERGENCY services were called to a spate of car fires in Peterlee last night.

A spokesperson for County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service's Peterlee Fire Station said: "Last night crews attended multiple car fires in the Peterlee area.

"These incidents are believed to have been started deliberately.

"If you have any information regarding deliberate fires in your area please call Firestoppers anonymously on 0800-1695558.

"When you contact Firestoppers you remain 100 per cent anonymous, your phone number cannot be seen, your call is never recorded, the telephone line or IP address is scrambled so it is impossible for any to redial or track your call, or to know where, or what device, the online information has come from."

The Northern Echo:

The Northern Echo:

Last night's incidents are the latest in a series of deliberate car fires reported in the area.

Fire service figures showed that more than 350 vehicles were torched deliberately across Durham and Darlington last year.

350 vehicles deliberately torched across County Durham and Darlington

And Durham’s east coast area has seen the sharpest increase of incidents of arson over the past few years, with deliberate fires that damage people’s properties, as well as grass and rubbish fires.

The fire brigade launches a campaign to tackle arson.

The ‘Talk, Teach, Time’ County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service campaign will push arson reduction messages on their social media platforms in a bid to reduce the number of incidents, and to educate rather than punish those offenders.

Arson attacks in Seaham and Peterlee area - police appeal for information

Firefighters tackle arson attacks following spike in east Durham