A NEW team's first year of teaching the fire safety message to youngsters has been a success, fire officers said today.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service's Community Fire Task Force has delivered its life-saving message to nearly four thousand children in more than 90 school visits across the county.

The team has also attended public events and venues to get the essential fire safety messages across.

These include demonstrations on how to deal with chip pan fires and encouraging householders to fit smoke alarms.

Station Officer Bryn Bimpson, the team's leader, said: "Our work with children is invaluable since fire safety lessons learned early in life are a lifetime's investment.

"Children are also marvellous ambassadors for passing on what they've learned about fire safety to their families , widening the circle of those who know how to prevent fire or protect themselves from its effects."

The team also identify those children who regularly start fires through its Fire Awareness Child Education scheme.

This has had 50 referrals in the past year and diverts children, who are known to have started fires, from carrying on what can be a deadly obsession.