FIRE chiefs, politicians and head teachers were today discussing ways of reducing the alarming number of arson attacks in parts of East Lancashire at a special seminar.

Schools in Blackburn and Hyndburn are targeted by firebugs more than in any other area of the county.

The figures have been put down to social deprivation in the towns, leaving youngsters bored and tempted to commit offences.

Figures from January 2000 to December 2001 showed Blackburn and Hyndburn came top of the league in comparison with other Lancashire towns.

They revealed that from a total of 296 deliberate fires at schools in Lancashire, around 70 to 80 happened in Blackburn during the two-year period and around 60 in Hyndburn.

John Taylor, public relations officer for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said the numbers needed to be reduced.

He said: "These figures reflect badly upon a town and to help reduce them we need to educate people about the good that sprinklers can do in a school or home.

"Figures like this usually reflect deprivation in towns where there is high unemployment and low birth weights.

"Areas like Roman Road in Blackburn have been trouble hot spots in the past, though the police, fire, local authority, teachers and residents have worked hard to reduce the incidents."

Arson attacks on schools have been blamed on bored youngsters who turn to vandalism. The issue has prompted the fire service to promote the installation of sprinkler systems in schools.

The seminar is being held to debate the issue of arson attacks on schools and promote the opening of a sprinkler demonstration unit at the service's Training and Development Centre.

Lancashire's Chief Fire Officer Peter Holland said that the cost of the fires should be addressed rather than the cost of the sprinklers.

He added: "The purpose of the seminar is to draw people's attention to the seriousness of this issue.

"Lancashire has a high number of arson attacks on schools and we have been pushing for these sprinklers to be installed for years. The number of attacks has made the need even greater."

The sprinklers would cost between £30,000 and £60,000 in primary schools and around £120,000 in secondary schools. Mr Holland added: "The cost of the devastation to the schools is far more than it would cost for the sprinklers.

Viv Clark, headteacher of Brindle Gregson Lane Primary School, Bourne Row, Hoghton, destroyed by an arson attack in May last year, will be speaking about the effect the fire had upon the school and its pupils.

She said said: "The impact on the pupils and the teachers is indescribable.

"I would hate for the same thing to happen in another school, which is why I will be at the seminar to highlight what we have all suffered during the past year.

"The new school will have state of the art fire detectors installed to make sure that this never again happens to us."

Chris Mounsey, of the Fire Protection Association, Coun Bob Wilkinson, chairman of the Lancashire Combined Fire Authority, teachers, building controllers, members of the Arson Reduction team and representatives from Blackburn with Darwen Council were at the seminar at the fire brigade demonstration unit, in Southport Road, Euxton, Chorley.