A LINK-UP between the police and fire service to reduce the number of arson attacks in County Durham and Darlington has seen early success.

The number of incidents has fallen by a third in the three months since the initiative - the first of its kind in the country - was launched on December 21.

Two out of every three fires attended by the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service have been started maliciously.

In only eight months last year, there were more than 730 property fires and more than 2,400 rubbish and grass fires.

Every year arsonists cost County Durham £9m, stretch the emergency services with unnecessary call-outs, and put the lives of the public and fire crews at risk.

In the three months leading up to the launch of the arson reduction strategy, there were 138 arson attacks.

But in the three months since the programme started, there have been only 100.

This reduction of nearly a third has been described as promising by the fire service, although the scheme is in its early days.

Ken Dixon, fire station manager at Newton Aycliffe, said: "Each fire station is working in close conjunction with the community police inspectors to identify areas which have become arson hotspots.

Police can then put a high visibility presence in these areas.

"Another innovative idea has been to put letters through doors asking for information on those people who are destroying the neighbourhood.

"The scheme is in its infancy but slowly and surely it is coming together."

He said the test would be in the summer when arson attacks are more common.

The county-wide pact to reduce arson came after teenagers set fire to Middleton St George Primary School, near Darlington, in February last year, and caused £356,000 of damage. Teachers and pupils had to move temporarily to an empty school in Darlington.

The strategy is designed to prevent arson rather than simply respond to the fires which have been started.

Other ideas include education programmes, periodic sweeps to clear derelict buildings or abandoned cars and the identification of offenders.