FIRE chiefs today slammed vandals who tried to set fire to buildings across Nelson.

Crews were called to eight separate rubbish fires on Saturday night and Sunday morning, several of which were in commercial bins which had been pushed against properties in a bid to set fire to the buildings up in flames.

One person was arrested in connection with an incident, police said today.

In one incident a burning bin was placed next to the town's police station.

A spokesman for Lancashire Fire Service asked people not to leave rubbish lying about which could be easily set on fire and said the consequences of the fires could have been much worse.

He said: "We had a number of rubbish fires which were deliberately started against buildings.

"This is irresponsible and dangerous behaviour because when we are having to deal with these incidents we could be needed at a serious incident elsewhere which we would be delayed in getting to."

Fire crews were called to:

A rubbish fire in Brunswick Street, 9pm Saturday.

A fire in the park in Carr Road, 11.30pm.

Pennine Way, Brierfield at 11.45pm.

York Street, at 2.25am on Sunday.

A commercial wheelie bin was placed against an empty house under renovation in Barker House Road at 4.05am. The IMO car wash in Netherfield Road escaped damage after a commercial bin was placed against it and set alight.

Fire crews attended a blaze at 5.45am at Nelson police station, off Broadway.

A burning commercial rubbish bin was extinguished in Chapel Street at 7.10am.