FIREFIGHTERS are warning people to be extra vigilant after a spate of fires believed to have been caused by an arsonist.

Station Officer Keith Cunliffe said there had been six deliberate fires, two malicious calls, five house fires and four vehicle fires in Mill Hill, Blackburn, in the past few months.

Arson has already been ruled out with some of them but the majority are believed to be the work of one person.

Police are investigating the incidents and analysing emergency phone calls to find a link which may help them trace the arsonist.

SO Cunliffe made the appeal after two fires around the same time over the weekend.

First, the owner of a house in Roebuck Close went out and left a window open at around 8.30pm on Saturday, enabling the arsonist to climb through. A bathtub was set alight, causing little damage to the property, but leaving the room heavily smoke logged.

And a skip was set on fire in Shakespeare Way, a short distance from Roebuck Close. Police said they were treating the Roebuck Close fire as arson.

In another incident two weeks ago, the arsonist set fire to a temporary building at a new homes site.

Fire crews found petrol at the scene of the blaze, off Livesey Branch Road. The site was given planning permission last year for a development of canal-side houses.

SO Cunliffe said: "There has been quite a high number of incidents. We are concerned there may be an arsonist operating in the area. We have had several skip and rubbish fires, but there is a pattern which seems to be evolving.

"People in the area should be extra vigilant and if they see anything they should ring the police or fire service."

Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.