FIRE crew in Blackburn and Darwen spent more than six hours tackling bonfires last night.

Senior county fire control staff said the area recieved 127 calls with the majority in East Lancashire and specifically Blackburn and Darwen.

Firefighters were called out at 6pm and only returned to the station for a brief stop at 10pm before heading back out until midnight. Station Officer Aiden Fortune said Blackburn suffered a "major problem" with deliberate bonfires, the majority of which were started by youths.

He said the Audley area and Pringle Street were major hotspots.

Crews from Blackburn, Accrington, Darwen and Oswaldwistle covered 42 incidents in Blackburn, 15 in Accrington, five in Darwen and four in Great Harwood and Oswaldtwistle. Mr Fortune said: "It was a very busy night but the run up to bonfire night is always the same.

"Other areas of Lancashire do not suffer as badly.

"The weather was dry early in the evening but that does not seem to matter.

"We must stress the dangers of playing with fires and for children to be unsupervised.

"Fires deemed to be dangerous because it they are too near to property or a road, or the fire is not attended by adults, will be extinguished."

Sub Officer Terry Nightingale of Accrington crew said: "Many fires we attended had gas cylinders on.

"Sooner or later someone will get killed if that continues.

"It is extremely dangerous not only for the people responsible but for us who are attending."